http://www.journaldemontreal.com/2018/03/18/prive-de-ses-patches-presque-neuvesA new member of the Hells Angels of Montreal has just suffered the affront of being confiscated his "patches" almost new by the police during a drug investigation.
Jean-Richard Larivière, nicknamed "Race", received his Hells jacket in March 2017 after being promoted to a member in good standing of the Montreal chapter.
Last month, the National Organized Crime Squad (ENRCO) seized the "patches" - also called "colors" - of the 50-year-old rider while searching a warehouse on the North Shore.
Strict rules
In the Hells, getting the "colors" from the police is seen as an insult.
"The Hells Angels' patch is the cornerstone of the organization," Sgt. Alain Belleau, an SQ expert on criminal bikers, told the Charbonneau commission.
This is also a source of boredom for the private biker of his iconic jacket.
First, the club's quasi-military bylaws stipulate that all members "are obliged to have their jackets," said Sergeant Belleau during the testimony in 2013.
The problem is that they "do not have the right to have more than one jacket" in their possession, said this criminal intelligence specialist.
"Race" Larivière will have to order another "set of patches" if he wants to participate in the gang rallies, such as the "First Run", the first motorcycle ride of the Hells, in early May.
