Hundreds of police officers began cracking down on the drug trade across the Montreal region on Wednesday morning, including raids on the Kahnawake reserve.
Montreal police spokesman Ian Lafreniere said the raids for "Operation Machine" began before dawn. "We started at 3 o'clock this morning," Lafreniere told CTV's Herb Luft at Montreal police headquarters. "This is a huge operation for us."
Operation Machine is targeting drugs and contraband cigarettes reportedly trafficked by the Hells Angels biker gang. Police have also seized firearms and other weapons.
Some 600 officers from several forces, including the Surete du Quebec and the RCMP executed 50 search warrants in Montreal, the north shore and Kahnawake. According to Lafreniere, Montreal police "had very good co-operation from the Peacekeepers."
One of the warrarants was carried out at the prison in Donacona near Quebec City where Salvatore Cazzetta, a major figure in the Hells Angels, is already behind bars.
Lafreniere said that most of the suspects will appear in court on drug charges.
