Police conducted a new search Wednesday evening targeting the Hells Angels, this time to seize firearms believed to belong to the criminal organization. The operation targeting several buildings on an agricultural row took place in Frampton, in the Chaudière-Appalaches region, near Quebec.
In total, nearly 25 police officers were deployed. It was the National Squad for the Repression of Organized Crime (ENRCO), bringing together several police forces, which was responsible for this umpteenth intervention against the Hells Angels.
In addition to the Quebec and Lévis police services, which were called in for reinforcements, the Tactical Intervention Group (GTI) of the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) was also requested on site. A sign that the authorities do not want to leave anything to chance, a dog handler and the Forensic Identification Service were also there.
“It’s linked to organized crime and more specifically to the Hells Angels. It started around 7 p.m. on our side, on the 2e Rank. Now, we will take the time to go through the entire scene with a fine-tooth comb and then we will see if there are any arrests that are confirmed,” Sergeant Louis-Philippe Bibeau, spokesperson for the SQ, briefly indicated on Wednesday when reached by telephone.
According to our information, this all comes at a time when a conflict is in full swing in the Quebec region between the Hells Angels and an independent drug trafficker, which makes the police fear excesses.
A growing phenomenon
For several months now, this type of search has been increasing. In mid-September, the police carried out a series of searches early in the morning in Mauricie aimed at dismantling a network of drug traffickers linked to the Hells Angels. The operation was then linked to other searches carried out at the end of August on the northern fringe of Montreal.
A little earlier, on August 30, investigators had also searched 14 locations, notably in Montreal and on the North Shore. They then seized around ten kilograms of cocaine, methamphetamine, vehicles and more than $150,000 in cash.
So far, as part of the Raquer investigation which began in the spring, the police claim to have got their hands on at least fifteen kilograms of cocaine, plus 130,000 methamphetamine tablets, 12 kilograms of crystal meth and varying amounts of several other drugs.
According to law enforcement, 15 long guns, three handguns, 11 prohibited weapons or imitation weapons, three cocaine presses, $760,000 in cash and around twenty vehicles were also seized.
With Daniel Renaud, The Press