https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/...-passer-son-message-aux-gangs-de-rue.phpAfter having met some fifty actors of Quebec organized crime, the investigators of Centaure, a provincial strategy to fight against violence linked to firearms announced at the end of September by the Minister of Public Security, Geneviève Guilbault, began this campaign. week of visiting members of street gangs at the heart of dozens of violent events in Montreal, especially over the past two years, La Presse has learned.
The police have met - or will in the coming days - several influential members of gangs of red allegiance, including Zone 43 and Profit Kollectaz, involved in numerous incidents of gunfire, attempted murders and murders with guns. fire since 2019 in Montreal and the metropolitan area.
These two enemy gangs are established respectively in the neighboring boroughs of Montreal-North and Rivière-des-Prairies.
According to a compilation by La Presse, approximately 160 incidents of gunfire, attempted murder or murder by firearm have occurred in Montreal since the beginning of the year, including several in the northeast of the metropolis.
According to our information, out of 26 murder victims since the start of the year in the metropolis, at least six (one in five) were linked to gangs, including Zone 43 and Profit Kollectaz.
Three of these six victims died when gusts were fired at an alleged Profit Kollectaz base on boulevard Perras, in the Rivière-des-Prairies neighborhood, last August.
In recent months, experts have testified in court and declared that this increase in the number of shootings - often of high intensity - in Montreal was explained in particular by the greater ease for young people to obtain a weapon, by conflicts. exacerbated on social media and by a “gun culture”.
Another factor to consider, however, is that older gang members no longer have influence over younger ones, police officers told La Presse.
Centaur investigators have also met in recent weeks with some of these older, established, respected gang members with ties to organized crime, but not all of them were willing to collaborate with them, La learned. Hurry.
Unwanted visit
Since the end of September, Centaur investigators have also met with around 20 members of the Hells Angels and nearly 30 actors from the Mafia, Lebanese organized crime and indigenous organized crime, we were told. . Some of these meetings have been virtual due to the risks associated with COVID-19.
The police say they want to put pressure on these organizations to reduce the circulation of firearms and the number of shootings, which has been on the rise since 2019.
“There are those who have not wanted to collaborate, who have told us that they are not involved in this or that they have no influence. But most don't like it [the violence in the streets] and told us they would spread the word, ”a police source reported.
“Bikers, mafia and other organized crime actors all know that violence brings more police funding, more pressure and they don't like it when we knock on their doors. These meetings also have a preventive effect. They slow down the activities of organized crime, ”adds another.
The primary goal of the police officers of the National Operation Centaur is to attack the importers and distributors of firearms, and not the young people who shoot in the streets of Montreal.
Rather, they are targeted by investigations by local teams to fight against firearms crimes from the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM).
But Centaur officials believe that in addition to gang disputes or conflicts exacerbated by social media, gunfire events that occur in the Montreal area or elsewhere are ordered directly by organized crime.
Not a cry for help
In addition, the statement Thursday by a member of the Liberal Party of Quebec according to which "it is the duty of everyone", including the Mafia, to fight against the shootings, in reaction to an article published in Le Journal of Montreal, has made active and retired police officers jump who requested anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to the media.
Yes, it happens that we go to see criminals because the tension is made very high, but we never ask for their help. On the contrary. We send them a message. They are told that because of this situation, we will be more on their backs, we will develop more sources and we will hurt them even more, ”one of them told us.
On Thursday, investigators from the Integrated Arms Trafficking Team, made up of investigators from the Sûreté du Québec and the SPVM, and part of the Centaur strategy, arrested a man suspected of producing weapons to fire.
During a search in the borough of Saint-Laurent, in the north-west of Montreal, they seized five firearms, one of which was in production, parts of firearms, three machines used for the manufacture of firearms and manufacturing plans.
The ongoing investigation was initiated in September following information obtained from Canada Post, and is being conducted with the assistance of the Canada Border Services Agency.
