Police visit dozens of establishments in Montreal area, meet with multiple alleged biker gang members
Police officers in Quebec visited dozens of establishments in the Greater Montreal Area on Thursday and Friday and met with about 200 people, some allegedly connected to organized crime outfits.
Surete du Quebec (SQ) spokesperson Beatrice Dorsainville confirmed that officers working out of the provincial CENTAURE squad went to the establishments in Montreal, Laval, Longueuil, and other municipalities on the North and South shore of the St. Lawrence River.
La Press reports that many of those spoken to had links to various biker gangs, including high-ranking members of the Hell's Angels and the Marauders.
MULTIPLE PUBLIC KILLINGS OVER THE SUMMER
The police sweep comes after a handful of possible execution-style killings in the Montreal area that have rattled the public's sense of safety.
On Aug. 23, two men were shot and killed in broad daylight, one at the Rockland Shopping Centre in the Town of Mont Royal and the other at a cafe on St-Denis St in the Latin Quarter neighbourhood.
Earlier this summer, on June 1, a man known to be associated with organized crime was fatally shot inside a Laval restaurant.
Criminologist Maria Mourani says anytime there's a rise in killings that appear to be tied to organized crime, it's bad for business -- especially when innocent bystanders are put in harm's way.
"Once we touch citizens, automatically, public pressure is put on police to act," she told CTV News. "The balance is no longer maintained."
Mourani said the SQ's recent sweeps of organized crime groups are likely intended as a warning.
She said the public can expect more actions to follow, including drug busts and raids -- all designed to calm the atmosphere.
Police say more arrests may be coming as the investigation continues.
The CENTAURE strategy is aimed at combatting violent crimes, particularly in metropolitan centres.
It is made up of officers from multiple law enforcement departments including Montreal, Longueuil, and Laval's police forces.
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