Police have nabbed 10 people and a large supply of illicit drugs in a major drug bust believed to be linked to the West End Gang.
SWAT teams swooped in as eight raids took place early Thursday morning resulting in the arrests, said Cmdt. Jocelyn Bergeron, head of the Montreal police street gangs unit for the south part of Montreal.
A total of 18 kilograms of cocaine, two kilograms of hashish, about 15 kilograms of marijuana, firearms, 128 mature pot plants, proof of conspiracy, and $300,000 in cash were all found in the series of raids in the west and north parts of Montreal.
Joseph Penning, 48, Michael Penning, 20, Curtis Christensen, 46, Casey Wolak, 35, Gerald Bourgeois, 50, Jason Chang, 55, Christopher Parent, 25, were arraigned in Montreal court Friday, while three others were released on a promise to appear at a later date.
They face a variety of charges, including drug trafficking, possession of firearms, conspiracy to traffic drugs, among others, according to Montreal police.
The raids were performed in six homes, one car and a safety deposit box in a financial institution, said Bergeron.
“The seizure is without a doubt one of the most important on the territory of Montreal in several years by the SPVM,” he said. “I’m convinced it will have a large effect.”
Police believe that the suspects are drug distributors supplying lower-level drug dealers.
Bergeron said the raids were not the end of the investigation, and that the investigation continues.
