Gießen's Hells Angels shuttered?

According to media reports, Gießen's Hells Angels have given up their clubhouse in Wettenberg. The President of the Gießen rockers, Aygün Mucuk, was shot dead on the site at the beginning of October. According to police, the Hells Angels sign has been removed from the property. There is no evidence that the Gießen Hells Angels have a new clubhouse. Mucuk was killed on October 7 with at least 16 shots.

There are no new insights about Mucuk's death. The 45-year-old was the leader of the Turkish faction within the Hells Angels during a power struggle with the more established Frankfurt Hells Angels chapter.

See ----->http://gangstersoutt.blogspot.ca/2016/10/aygun-mucuk-president-of-germany-hells.html
See ----->http://gangstersoutt.blogspot.ca/2016/12/no-arrests-in-murder-of-german-hells.html

Calgary police seize 35,321 fentanyl pills in record drug bust

Calgary police made a massive fentanyl bust, seizing a record 35,321 pills from a home in the southwest — more than three times the previous benchmark.

Seven weapons were seized, including three 12-gauge shotguns, two rifles, a handgun and a crossbow. Various amounts of ammunition and multiple sets of body armour were also found in the home. David Hillson Pratico, 31, of Calgary is now facing more than two dozen drug and weapons-related offences. Police believe Pratico is part of a criminal group and was 'top of the totem pole'.

Oz police seize 1.1 tonnes of cocaine

Australian police have cracked a trafficking ring, arresting 15 people in operations during which they seized 500kg of cocaine, in addition to some 600kgs confiscated earlier, making it the largest drug seizure in Australian history. In March 2016, 606 kilograms of cocaine worth A$197 million (US $142 million) bound to Australia off the coast of Tahiti was seized.

Police arrested three men and discovered a stockpile of 500kg of cocaine on a fishing trawler off the NSW Central Coast after it returned from a vessel reportedly coming back to Australia from Chile. The cargo is estimated to be worth as much as A$163 million (US $117 million). Men were arrested in Sydney and across other Australian cities during related drug raids.

The gang members used fishing boats to import the cocaine from South America.

Phil Boudreault turns to GoFundMe

Phil Boudreault has made good progress in his recovery from a shooting this past spring, according to a GoFundMe page set up by his girlfriend to help with his medical costs. Boudreault was shot in the back while riding his motorcycle near Lachute, Que. on April 16 and suffered a spinal cord injury. Boudreault, 41, was vice-president of the Hells Angels Ontario Nomads. The chapter was shuttered in September.

Mafia-related arson attacks rising in Montreal

As of December 21, 12 arson attacks and 1 attempted Montreal-based mafia were committed this year, according to analysts. Twelve have occurred since the beginning of September alone, demonstrating an increase in tensions. At least four of the targeted locations are linked to Marco Pizzi, currently accused of conspiracy and importation of cocaine following his arrest in May in Operation Clemenza.

Marco Pizzi has also been the victim of a murder attempt on August 1st in Montreal. Similar waves of arson shook the mafia during 2009, 2010 and 2011, at the height of a putsch against Vito Rizzuto. Since the death of the godfather, the clan of the Sicilians has faced new attacks. Since March three lieutenants have been killed, Lorenzo Giordano, Rocco Sollecito and Vincenzo Spagnolo.

252 pills seized by NL police in 'Operation Titanium' are Fentanyl.

Items seized during Operation Titanium: Four kilograms of cocaine 30 pounds of marijuana A kilogram of hash and pills $340,000 in Canadian cash two guns bear spray aluminum bat with five blades taped to the end. Also seized were two vehicles ,a 2015 Cadillac Escalade and a 2013 Ford Focus, cellphones and money counters and various drug paraphernalia.

Four were arrested: Dave Woolridge, 44, of St. John’s, Raymond Shea, 39, and his wife Pamela Shea, 36, of Pouch Cove, and Dave Laramee-Lapierre, 35, of Montreal. All are charged with conspiracy to traffic in cocaine, numerous charges of possessing cocaine and marijuana for the purpose of trafficking, possessing the proceeds of crime and money laundering.

David Woolridge, 44

David Laramee-Lapierre, 35

Raymond Shea, 39

Pamela Shea, 36

Quebec Hells Angels celebrate 39th Anniversary

The Hells Angels celebrated their 39th birthday in Canada on December 17th at a Sainte-Anne-de-Sorel hotel. Police noticed that some of the bikers displayed the name of the city on the front of their jacket. This means that the Quebec section is officially reopened after being inactive for almost eight years since Operation SharQc on April 15, 2009. Four of the five Hells Angels chapters are active; These are the Montréal, South, Trois-Rivières and Québec sections. Only Sherbrooke is still inactive.

The Montreal Chapter, the first in Canada to be created on December 5, 1977, continued to operate despite Operation SharQc, thanks to the infusion of certain members of the Rock Machine into Hells Angels ranks. The recently disbanded Ontario Nomads was formed 15 years ago with former Rock Machine members. Investigators also saw members of the newest chapter in New Brunswick. They have been sponsored and even formed partly by bikers from Quebec. At least one former member of the South chapter and another member of the Québec chapter now display the colors of New Brunswick. Recently, the Sûreté du Québec considered the Hells Angels to be the largest criminal organization in Quebec, controlling more than 80% of the territory for drug trafficking.

See ----->http://gangstersoutt.blogspot.ca/2016/12/pei-hoping-mad-over-new-hells-angels.html

Connecticut Police bust truck with 55 pounds of Fentanyl

47-year-old Erick Escalante, of Arizona has been arrested after one of the five largest fentanyl seizures on record in the U.S. The drugs were discovered in the cab of a tractor trailer during a routine traffic stop near Derby, Connecticut, about 10 miles west of New Haven. Just three milligrams of fentanyl — an amount equivalent to a few grains of salt — is enough to kill the average adult male, meaning Wednesday’s 55-pound seizure involved about 8.3 million lethal doses. That’s enough fentanyl to kill every single one of Connecticut’s 3.6 million residents — twice.

Fentanyl overdoses increased 72 percent from 2014 to 2015, according to new data released last week by the Centers for Disease Control. The DEA says Mexican drug cartels import fentanyl or the precursors needed to manufacture it from China, running rude clandestine line labs to manufacture Fentanyl, then smuggle it into the U.S., often mixed with heroin. The DEA says Connecticut is the gateway to New England for the Fentanyl.

Mexican Drug Smuggler Garcia Palomino pulls 3.5 years

A Mexican drug smuggler was sentenced to jail time for bringing over $500,000 worth of drugs across the Canadian/U.S. border for a Mexican cartel. Alexis Joel Garcia Palomino, 24, pleaded guilty to the unlawful importation of heroin and methamphetamine and failing to enter Canada at the customs office. Garcia Palomino was an illegal immigrant in the U.S. employed by the Mexican cartel for some time. Palomino would make anywhere between $500 and $1,000 for smuggling runs to Canada. On March 17, the RCMP received a call from U.S. Border Patrol advising an individual was carrying a backpack and walking north towards Nine Mile Place and Highway 3E east of Osoyoos. Police found 1,022 grams of heroin and six bricks of methamphetamine totalling 5,089.7 grams.

Two knives with 10-inch blades and night vision goggles were also located. Garcia Palomino was sentenced to 3.5 years in jail, 390 days of which he has served in pre-trial custody. Palomino has just under 2.5 years remaining on his sentence.

Drugs, guns: 60 arrested after joint Regina police, RCMP investigation

On Tuesday, Regina police and the RCMP announced that 60 people have been arrested and 443 charges have been laid over the last 90 days. The charges range from drug trafficking to possession of stolen property and multiple weapons offences. Police would not confirm where the individuals arrested came from, only to say some were from Edmonton and Ontario. Police say they have observed an increase in cocaine and methamphetamine traffic in the city since 2013, as well an increase in violent and firearm-related offences.

Police seized: 1,700 grams of cocaine. 600 grams of methamphetamine. 200 grams of marijuana. $40,000 in stolen property. 11 firearms: five long guns (sawed off) and six handguns. Over $100,000.

PlatinumSB.com

In February 2013, police raided an invitation-only Super Bowl party in Markham, Ontario for customers of Platinum Sports Book, an online credit betting operation that utilized toll-free phone lines and a Costa Rica-based website. The ring was operated by the London, Ontario chapter of the Hells Angels. The PlatinumSB ring was a classic credit betting setup, with levels of agents and sub-agents serving a client list of thousands of sports bettors. As many as 3k of these bettors were invited to the party in Markham that police raided. Police said the ring grossed over $103m between 2009 and the 2013 bust. 31 were arrested and $4.6m in illegal betting proceeds were seized.

Gordon Baird, 59, admitted in September he was the administrator of the Platinum Sports Book, a sophisticated betting operation that signed up their own clients, collected their debts and paid out their winnings on a weekly basis. The money flowed up the pyramid, with the top acting as “the bank.” Baird received an 18-month conditional sentence (to be served in Baird’s home) and a $400,000 fine. Baird handed over $50,000 and was given a year to pay the remainder.

In 2012, $1.3 million in cash was found in the backpack of Erwin Speckert as he boarded a bus from Winnipeg to Vancouver. The source of the money was PlatinumSB.com. Speckert was sentenced last year to three years for money laundering.

Rob Barletta

In another courtroom Rob Barletta and Andrew Bielli, both Hells Angels, pleaded not guilty to charges including bookmaking for the benefit of a criminal organization and possession of the proceeds of crime. Among the accused is William “Billy” Miller, a former chapter president of the Hells Angels. Also charged were: Martin Spruce, David Hair, Arno Thomsen, and Shlomo Buchler. Police consider Miller, Hair and Spruce to be the leaders.

William “Billy” Miller

Raynald Desjardins sentenced to 14 years in Montagna hit

Raynald Desjardins has been sentenced to 14-years in connection with the murder of Salvatore Montagna, a one-time boss of the Bonanno crime family who had tried to take over the Montreal Mafia. Because of the time already served since his arrest, Desjardins only has six and a half years left in his sentence.

Intercepted BlackBerry messages show that Desjardins and Montagna were rivals in the mob power struggles that erupted during the time Vito Rizzuto was serving a sentence in the US for racketeering. Desjardins complained to his men that Montagna’s crew was encroaching on their bookmaking, loan-sharking and protection rackets. Desjardins pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder in July, 2015. Seven other defendants also pleaded guilty to lesser charges the following spring.

See ----->http://gangstersoutt.blogspot.ca/2016/10/raynald-desjardins-and-salvator.html
See ----->http://gangstersoutt.blogspot.ca/2016/09/sentence-hearing-delayed-again-for_1.html

Court acquits Tony Duguay in 2000 slaying

The Quebec Court of Appeal has acquitted Tony Duguay in the April 2000 slaying of a high-ranking Hells Angels Normand (Biff) Hamel because a key prosecution witness admitted to lying on the stand. Hamel was chased around a parking lot north of Montreal before being shot several times as he sought refuge between two cars. A jury convicted Duguay of first-degree murder in December 2006 and he was sentenced to life in prison. The slaying took place during the height of Quebec's infamous biker war -- a turf war over drug territory that claimed more than 150 lives between 1994 and 2002.

U.S. Coast Guard, Royal Canadian Navy seize $715-million of cocaine

More than 26 tons of cocaine worth at least $715 million was brought ashore Thursday in Florida following multiple recent seizures by the U.S. Coast Guard and the Royal Canadian Navy in the eastern Pacific. The drugs came from 27 separate vessel interdictions and five bale recovery operations off Central and South America over the past three months.

Pallets containing the drugs covered the entire flight deck of the 418-foot Coast Guard Cutter Hamilton.