Police in Laval, Montreal join forces to fight arsons, extortions linked to organized crime
Three major police forces are uniting to launch Projet Mèche, a joint investigation to fight organized crime in Montreal, Laval and North Shore communities.
The recent flare-up of crime targets local, culturally-specific businesses, police say. The offences range from arson and threats to armed assaults, extortion and even gunshots. In the past 12 months, police say there have been 67 incidents reported, mainly in Montreal and Laval.
"This violence will not be tolerated," said Kimon Christopoulos, a major crime inspector with the Laval police and spokesperson for Projet Mèche, during a media briefing on Thursday.
The Sûreté du Québec (SQ), the Montreal police service (SPVM), and the Laval police service (SPL) said they noticed similarities in the cases. Now, they are joining forces in the hopes of putting an end to violent crimes against business owners.
So far, police have made 19 arrests. Charges have also been laid, including possession of weapons and ammunition, extortion, assault with a weapon, arson, possession of drugs and breach of a condition.
"The exchange of information, which is crucial to our investigations, will make a real impact and is making a real impact on our investigations and on the field," Christopoulos said.
Additional investigations are underway, according to police, who say the alleged victims in these cases appear to come from one community.
"We have very big Arab communities here in Laval and Montreal. They are the ones that are targeted," the Laval inspector said.
Police suspect the alleged perpetrators are targeting their own.
"It's the organized crime that's behind this … so that's another link that we saw. And they're using gangs to do the work," Christopoulos said.
In Laval, the hot spot is the Chomedey district. In Montreal, it's the borough of Saint-Laurent. Police are urging everyone in these areas to contact police with tips to assist investigators.
"Our merchants and our citizens are our eyes and ears on the field. They have to communicate with us, they have to contact us," Christopoulos said.
"If they have information, they have to give it to us."
Anyone who has information about incidents relating to the investigation is asked to contact the relevant police service.
- Laval police: 450-662-INFO (4636)
- Montreal police: 911 or Info-Crime Montreal at 514-393-1133
- SQ Criminal Information Centre: 1-800-659-4264
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Pro-plastic lobbyist presence at UN talks is 'troubling,' say advocates
Environmentalist groups are sounding the alarm about a steep increase in the number of pro-plastic lobbyists at the UN pollution talks taking place this week.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Courteney Cox says her partner Johnny McDaid once broke up with her in therapy
Courteney Cox's longtime partner Johnny McDaid once broke up with her in a therapy session.
Are Canadians getting sick from expired food?
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.