Six months after conducting searches aimed at dismantling a prolific network of independent drug traffickers from street gangs, investigators from the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) have been making the arrests since early Wednesday morning, learned The Press.
According to our information, a dozen individuals should be arrested during this search.
These arrests conclude an important investigation by the SPVM’s Organized Crime Division (DCO), called Auxo, during which investigators seized at least 54 kilograms of cocaine, 46 kilograms of crystal methnearly 170,000 methamphetamine pills and 36 kilograms of cannabis, for a total valuation of around 4 million.
During the investigation, the sleuths also got their hands on an astronomical sum of money of 1.3 million and eight firearms, including an AR-15 type assault rifle.
In the big leagues
During the searches in June, the commander of the DCO of the SPVM, Francis Renaud, had explained to The Press that the members of the network came from street gangs and had created an independent organization that had nothing to envy to major criminal groups, such as the Hells Angels and the Mafia.
This network could even supply them and street gangs on the north and south shores of Montreal.
The network allegedly moved at least 25 kilograms of cocaine a week and transported large sums of money to Toronto, where it relied on a “door”, that is, a person who smuggled the cocaine into Canada and which allowed them to obtain supplies in large quantities, in the same way as the major criminal organizations.
“It’s exactly the new color of organized crime. That is to say that it is individuals from all cultural communities, some of whom come from street gangs, who have started working together for a common goal, money. These people must have had the approval of certain important players and since they were useful to them, they were able to go about their business, ”explained Commander Renaud.
The suspects are scheduled to appear Wednesday afternoon at the Montreal courthouse.
More details to come.
To reach Daniel Renaud, dial 514 285-7000, ext. 4918, write to [email protected] or write to the postal address of The Press.