Seven teens arrested in Saint-Leonard in connection with organized crime
Police arrested seven teens aged 14 to 17 in Saint-Leonard last Thursday in connection with organized crime.
According to Montreal police (SPVM), the teens had broken into a building on Jean-Talon Street East in mid-June and used it for cover since.
"Despite their young age, the suspects were implicated in many violent crimes," said the SPVM in a news release.
Police tied the group of teens to robberies, arson, extortion and gun violence.
All seven will appear in youth court facing mischief and breaking-and-entering charges. Four of them were already in custody as part of separate legal proceedings.
Arrest mandates have been issued for two more suspects, aged 16 and 20.
Rise in arson
There was a string of arsons on the island over the last week, including a Rockaberry in Saint-Leonard over the weekend and a torched car in the area a few days later. A depanneur in Verdun was targeted on Monday. Police are still investigating last week's fire in Old Montreal.
Retired Montreal police detective Pietro Poletti called the recent surge in arsons "surreal."
He says organized crime groups have been tasking street gangs with money collection, "like a bounty hunter." According to Poletti, there are dozens of street gangs in Montreal and young people are especially recruited as they're happy with smaller cuts.
"These young kids that are committing these acts, first of all, they're not mature. They're 15, 16, they have weapons. They don't think of the consequences," he said.
He said police need to "put their foot down."
Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante said the situation is worrying but that she and the SPVM "take this very seriously."
With files from Matthew Grillo
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Four arrests made, police officer injured in connection with protest at Hindu temple in Brampton, Ont.
Peel police say four people were arrested and an officer was injured following several protests in Mississauga and Brampton Sunday afternoon, including one at a Hindu temple that turned violent.
B.C. port employers to launch lockout at terminals as labour disruption begins
Employers at British Columbia ports say they are going ahead with locking out more than 700 foremen across the province after strike activities from union members began.
She was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes about a year ago. Here's how her condition was reversed
A year ago, Lorraine O'Quinn was coping with stress, chronic illness and Type 2 diabetes. Then she discovered a health program that she says changed her life.
'The best that we can be': Indigenous judge and TRC chair Murray Sinclair dies at 73
Murray Sinclair, who was born when Indigenous people did not yet have the right to vote, grew up to become one of the most decorated and influential people to work in Indigenous justice and advocacy.
Musk PAC tells Philadelphia judge the US$1M sweepstakes winners are not chosen by chance
A lawyer for Elon Musk 's political action committee told a judge in Philadelphia on Monday that so-called 'winners' of his US$1 million-a-day voter sweepstakes in swing states are not chosen by chance but are instead chosen to be paid 'spokespeople' for the group.
3 arrested as protesters clash outside Hindu temple in Surrey, B.C.
Three people were arrested after duelling protests erupted into violence outside a Hindu temple in Surrey, B.C., over the weekend, according to the RCMP.
Communication issues, double standard for Lebanese-Canadians trying to escape war, says lawyer
Some Lebanese-Canadians are pressuring the federal government to implement emergency measures that would allow Lebanese nationals' family members a less restrictive gateway to Canada, citing more 'flexible' policies for Ukrainians.
Judge rules against Alberta casino, dinner theatre operator
An application to stay a receivership order of Mayfield Investments Ltd., a company that owns multiple businesses in Alberta including the Camrose Resort and Casino, Medicine Hat Lodge and Calgary's Stage West Dinner Theatre, has been denied by the court.
India's Modi, Canada's Trudeau condemn violence at Hindu temple near Toronto
The prime ministers of India and Canada condemned violence that broke out on Sunday at a Hindu temple near Toronto at a time of escalating diplomatic tensions between the two countries.