An influential mafioso banned from a bar on his own estate

An individual whom the police consider to be an influential actor in the Montreal mafia and organized crime is now persona non grata in a bar in his own stronghold, the Rivière-des-Prairies district, in the east of Montreal.

Daniel Renaud
The Press

Since last week, Marco Pizzi, his sons, other members of his family and one of his friends, Salvatore Infantino, have no longer been allowed to set foot in the establishment Le 6^and Ave Bar & Grill, boulevard Maurice-Duplessis, near boulevard Louis-Hippolyte La Fontaine.

The Régie des alcools, des courses et des jeux (RACJ) of Quebec had summoned Mr. Infantino, former owner of the bar, last fall, for several breaches of the regulations.

The Service de police de la Ville de Montréal had taken steps with the RACJ, in particular because of the presence of members of organized crime in the establishment, the commission of acts of violence and the non-compliance with the health measures imposed. to counter COVID-19.

But before the question is debated on the merits, the RACJ and the new holder, Carmine Juliano Battista, have come to an agreement.

Liquor licenses have been suspended for a period of 60 days, and Mr. Battista has pledged to follow the rules, cooperate with the police and prohibit access to his establishment to Marco Pizzi, four members of his family, Salvatore Infantino, Fabio Infantino and Elie Mikhael Daaboul.

In its decision ratifying the agreement reached between the RACJ and the owner of 6^and Ave Bar & Grill, the RACJ emphasizes that “the most disturbing aspect of this case is the presence and influence of certain individuals connected to the highest levels of organized crime in Montreal over the control of the establishment” and the organization mentions the “systematic exclusion of certain problematic individuals”.

With decision makers

Marco Pizzi, 52, who is very present in the Rivière-des-Prairies district, is considered by the police to be one of the major players in the Mafia and organized crime in Montreal.

He and one of his relatives, Davide Barberio, have been observed on several occasions in recent months in the company of influential members of the Hells Angels, including Martin Robert and Stéphane Plouffe, of the Montreal section, whom the Sûreté du Quebec considers organized crime decision makers in Montreal and Quebec.

Pizzi had been the target of a spectacular attempted murder on 1^er August 2016 in the east end of Montreal.

Buildings and businesses related to him or his family had also been the targets of arsonists at the same time.

In the mid-2010s, Pizzi was arrested for trafficking cocaine in a major Royal Canadian Mounted Police investigation dubbed Clemenza, which targeted the succession of the Montreal mafia, but he benefited from a stoppage of the legal process along with 35 other charged in March 2017.

During his release investigation, Salvatore Infantino had testified in favor of Pizzi and declared that he was a childhood friend of the latter.

To reach Daniel Renaud, dial 514 285-7000, ext. 4918, write to [email protected] or write to the postal address of The Press.