The gangster Raymond Desfossés, now 72 years old, was arrested Tuesday morning in Trois-Rivières by police officers from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), during a major strike targeting suspected cocaine traffickers.
Two sources confirmed Desfossés’ arrest for breaking his release conditions.
“We are talking about a revocation of his parole. The police will bring him back to the penitentiary pending further proceedings,” said Sergeant Charles Poirier, spokesman for the RCMP, refusing however to confirm the identity of the suspect.
Raymond Desfossés was released from prison in 2017 after serving two-thirds of his 18-year sentence for orchestrating the importation of 750 kg of cocaine and for plotting six of the 28 murders committed by hitman Gérald Gallant between 1980 and 2001.
The one the police nicknamed at the time “the king of cocaine” is the only suspect pinned during this RCMP operation carried out in different regions of Quebec.
In total, eight searches “under investigation” were carried out in the province, five in residences in Trois-Rivières, one in a residence in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu and two in businesses in Montreal and Quebec. .
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In recent years, however, Raymond Desfossés seemed to have calmed down. In May 2019, he even earned praise from the Parole Board of Canada (PBC) for his good behavior, Le Journal de Montréal reported at the time.
The CLCC had even decided to relax or withdraw certain conditions that it had imposed on the ex-leader of the western gang when it had allowed him to return to live at home, in January 2018.
However, Raymond Desfossés was prohibited from associating with criminalized individuals and going out to bars.