That's what an SQ officer said on Thursday during his testimony at the trial for possession of several kilograms of cocaine currently involving a former co-accused of Scoppa, at the courthouse in Montreal.
It would be the first time a police officer has testified under oath that Scoppa was considered the acting head of the mafia, and not just an influential leader.
During the investigation, the police installed a microphone in the vehicles rented by Scoppa and his driver, Nicola Valiente, and intercepted many conversations between the two men.
In May 2016, another source told the police that Andrew and his brother Salvatore would have received the approval of the Toronto Mafia and Italy, that they would be the leaders of the Montreal Mafia and "the decision-makers". Remember, however, that this is source information and that it has not been proven or tested in court.
In one of the conversations with his driver intercepted during the Estacade investigation, Scoppa claims however that he does not want to be the boss.
"I do not want to be the boss. To be, you must aim to become one, "he told Valiente.
"Andrew Scoppa is probably the closest to Vito Rizzuto in his organized crime strategies, and he and his brother, even though there is tension between them, make up one of the strongest clans in the mafia. For years. But they have always stayed behind and know everything about all organized crime actors. They are probably stronger in this position than the direction of the mafia, "said a police source for La Presse.
But if Andrew Scoppa was the interim leader in the fall of 2016, the situation could be different today, as things evolve and alliances are still fragile within the Montreal mafia.