Quebec gang leader's right-hand man arrested in Portugal: police
![Roobens Denis Roobens Denis, left, has been arrested in Lisbon, Portugal, at the request of the Quebec City police service. Denis is the right-hand man of Dave 'Pic' Turmel, right, the leader of the Blood Family Mafia. (Source: Quebec City police service/Twitter)](/content/dam/ctvnews/en/images/2024/3/1/roobens-denis-1-6791272-1709318661676.jpg)
The right-hand man of the leader of the Blood Family Mafia, a Quebec gang, has been arrested in Portugal after being on the lam since July 2023, police announced Friday.
Roobens Denis, 31, was a close associate of the group's leader, Dave "Pic" Turmel, who is also believed to be on the run in Europe. Some of the gang's high-ranking members were recently arrested by Quebec provincial police during a crackdown on a violent drug war involving the Hells Angels in the provincial capital area.
Quebec City police (SPVQ) said Portuguese authorities on Thursday arrested Denis, who is wanted on charges of drug trafficking and drug trafficking conspiracy, after locating him at a hotel in Lisbon. Steps are being taken to extradite him to Canada to face charges.
An arrest warrant had been issued for Denis and Turmel after seven people were arrested on July 26, 2023 on several gun and drug charges. Police also had Interpol issue a Red Notice in order to secure Denis' arrest.
Quebec City police said his arrest on Thursday was the result of a collaboration of the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) and the SPVQ's MALSAIN project, an initiative launched in 2019 to combat violence linked to drug trafficking and organized crime.
The SQ said 22 people have been arrested as part of Opération Scandaleux, an operation launched last week to counter the rise of kidnappings, shootings, arson and other violent crimes linked to the drug-related turf war in the eastern part of the province.
Videos of alleged gang members being tortured have circulated online in recent days following the uptick of violence, which included a kidnapping in Quebec's Saguenay region and a fatal hostage-taking in Saint-Malachie, Que.
With files from The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6971466.1721473775!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
investigation Prominent Vancouver lawyer accused of moving criminal cash dies before hearing
Vancouver lawyer Michael Bolton likely defended thousands of people over 50 years of practice. But in the end, he would not get a chance to defend himself.
The latest on the global tech outage: Airlines rush to get back on track after IT disruption
Transport providers, businesses and governments on Saturday are rushing to get all their systems back online after long disruptions following a widespread technology outage.
Quebec woman's death warns of dangers of cosmetic surgery abroad
Brian McConnell's daughter, Florence McConnell, died after a liposuction surgery complication in Morocco. Now, he warns others against undergoing cosmetic surgeries abroad.
Newfoundland premier says crew members on missing fishing boat found alive
Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey said on social media early Saturday morning that the entire province is "relieved" to learn the crew aboard the Elite Navigator has been found alive.
The latest from the U.S. campaign trail: Biden faces growing calls from Democrats to drop out
President Joe Biden says he’s ready to return to the campaign trail next week, even as a growing chorus of Democratic lawmakers called for him to step aside.
opinion Trump's assassination attempt not a political winner
Danger and fear are so pervasive throughout the national political ethos it is now the norm, writes Washington political columnist Eric Ham.
Social media prank could lead to charges after teens allegedly damage homes
A well-known childhood prank known as 'nicky nicky nine doors,' or 'ding dong ditch,' has escalated into a more serious game that could lead to charges for some Surrey, B.C. teens.
Interior residents get ready to flee as B.C. fire tally soars past 300
The out-of-control Shetland Creek fire in British Columbia's southern Interior has more than doubled in size due to what the wildfire service describes as "significant overnight growth" and more accurate mapping.
Toronto fire crews rescue two workers buried in trench
One worker has been rescued, and fire crews are working on freeing the other after the two were buried in a trench in the city’s Weston neighbourhood.