Over the weekend, law enforcement reported making 20 arrests in connection with violence between criminal groups.
“So far, we have had twenty arrests,” said Catherine Bernard, spokesperson for the Sûreté du Québec (SQ). This police force lent a hand to the Quebec City Police Service (SPVQ) which apprehended four people on Sunday morning, three men and a woman.
The latter was released by summons, while the three others appeared at the Quebec courthouse in the afternoon. Among these, Jean-François Dion, aged 37, was accused of having in his possession ammunition while doing so was prohibited.
As for James Célestin and David Marceau-Maillefert, aged 40 and 35 respectively, both faced charges of serious assault on a person, as well as kidnapping and forcible confinement of this individual.
The operation leading to these arrests was led by investigators from the MALSAIN project. The latter was launched in 2019 by the Quebec City Police Department, in order to counter an increase in violence linked to drug trafficking by organized crime in the region.
The captain of the SPVQ, Marie-Manon Savard, also stressed that three searches had been carried out on Sunday by the police. Two of them took place in the territory of Quebec City, in the Beauport sector, while the other took place in the municipality of Lac-Aux-Sables, in Mauricie.
The police were able to seize a ballistic vest, masks, 0.5 and 9 millimeter ammunition, narcotics, three cell phones, more than ten grams of what could be cocaine, a drill on which he could found blood, as well as $1,500 in cash.
Violence in eastern Quebec
For its part, the SQ indicated that it had made multiple arrests during the weekend in connection with violence in the east of the province.
The Sûreté du Québec notably claimed on Sunday morning to have arrested five suspects. Among these, two 36-year-old men were arrested in connection with violent events that occurred on February 19 in Saint-Malachie, in the Chaudière-Appalaches region. According to the SQ, one person lost their life and three others were injured.
On Saturday, the police announced that they had arrested four suspects in connection with the same case.
On Sunday, four people appeared at the Quebec courthouse. Among them, a 36-year-old resident of Quebec, David Marceau-Morin, is accused of aggravated assault, kidnapping and forcible confinement.
For his part, Derek Morin-Martel, 22, was accused of not complying with the conditions of a release order, including not possessing or carrying weapons.
Aged 26, Septilien William Monger Gagnon faces charges of aggravated assault, forcible confinement and possession of a prohibited or restricted firearm.
As for Karl Horkheimer Pierre, he faces charges of attempting to cause the death of an individual and discharging a firearm.
With The Canadian Press