Interesting article about how the structure has changed and the importance of support clubs.
Narcotics: The Hells of the Trois-Rivières Chapter dominate the territory
Posted on Friday, November 23, 2018 at 8:25 pm
Although they are less visible in appearance, the Hells Angels still reign supreme over the criminal activities of the region, an important source of income for the group. In fact, the Hells Angels control 97% of Quebec's territory for synthetic drugs.
A text by Marie-Claude Julien
Mauricie / Center-du-Québec is important in the vision and planning of organized crime, as are all regions, says Guy Lapointe, spokesperson for the Sûreté du Québec on organized crime. The chapter of Trois-Rivières, like those of Quebec, Sherbrooke, Montreal and South, is still active. However, the hierarchical structure of operations has changed in the last 10 years.
Guy Lapointe, spokesperson for the Sûreté du Québec on organized crime Photo: Radio-Canada
Operation SharQc, in 2009, described as the largest police raid in Canada against criminal gangs, and the demolition of the Trois-Rivières bunker on Boulevard Saint-Jean in 2015 , forced in particular the Rivers to review its structure.
The importance of supporter clubs
Since Operation SharQc, the faces of criminal bikers have changed. In 10 years, members in good standing have set up a structure, like that used by the Italian mafia, to move away from crime and protect themselves from police forces.
According to the former Sûreté du Québec agent and organized crime specialist Sylvain Tremblay, it is the supporter clubs that are now responsible for doing the criminal work in the field.
In the region, two clubs occupy mainly the territory in the pay of the Hells Angels chapter of Trois-Rivières: Brotherhood and Deimos Crew, a more structured group.
Organized crime structure in Mauricie Photo: Radio-Canada
These two groups are the most important, they control the [drug] traffic and pay a quote [-part] to the big brothers members of the Hells Angels , explains Mr. Tremblay. These two groups, in addition to the Ghosts Devils, were also responsible for the safety of the members in good standing of the Hells during the last gathering at Notre-Dame-du-Mont-Carmel on the occasion of the "First Run", in May 2018.
Other groups gravitate to the criminal world, but their importance is less, according to the specialist.
A structure that complicates police work
Hells Angels supporter clubs are true firewalls that allow members in good standing to be virtually invisible in the sense of the law.
Members in good standing no longer directly affect criminal activities in the field, they no longer appear in meeting places as bunkers era and the arrival of new means of communication offered by the Internet facilitates trade in distance, thanks to encrypted messages that easily pass under the radar.
The only way we can shake them up a little bit is when they stop supporting club members and we can show the link with the Hells sponsoring them. There, maybe we can accuse one, two or three members in good standing ... And there, these are investigations of a year, a year and a half , says Sylvain Tremblay.
Police adjusts the shot
If the bikers have tweaked their structure over the last decade, the police have changed their method as well.
They learned of the trial arising from Operation SharQc. Of the more than 150 persons charged, 37 were laundered due to procedural flaws or delays deemed unreasonable and 35 sentenced persons were granted a reduced sentence for the same reasons.
Since 2017, the Sûreté du Québec has divided its investigations into three areas to avoid big lawsuits. Each investigation project is independent on the judicial level.
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The police response. Photo: Radio-Canada
Guy Lapointe, spokesperson for the Sûreté du Québec on organized crime, explains that this new technique was applied for the first time during the Objection project . Attack on both the heads of the clubs, the clubs and the distribution networks. That's the way we're going to fight now.
https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvell...re-trois-rivieres-mauricie-centre-quebec
