Mexican troops kill drug kingpin El Chapo's security chief

Mexican soldiers and police killed the security chief for jailed drug kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman. A shootout erupted when security forces raided a building in Culiacan, the capital of Sinaloa state, where Guzman's Sinaloa cartel is based. Two people were killed in the gunfight and three arrested.

Officials identified one of the dead as Luis Alfonso Murillo Acosta, head of security and a hitman for El Chapo's son, Archivaldo Ivan Guzman Salazar.

Murillo Acosta is accused of coordinating a September 2016 attack on army troops that killed five soldiers and wounded 12. El Chapo, 60, was one of the world's most powerful drug traffickers. His reign was cut short in January 2017 when he was extradited to the United States following his capture after an escape from a Mexican prison. Guzman is accused of trafficking more than 200 tonnes of cocaine into the United States.

Former Hells Angels associate will serve 35 years without parole

41-year-old Benjamin Hudon-Barbeau was convicted of two killings, and once escaped from a Quebec prison in a helicopter. Today he has received the longest sentence in the province's history. He was convicted in November of first-degree murder, second-degree murder and two attempted murders. He was sentenced to serve life in prison without chance of parole for 35 years. During the trial, Crown prosecutors argued that Hudon-Barbeau used a hitman named Ryan Wolfson to carry out the attacks.

On March 17, 2013, inmates Benjamin Hudon-Barbeau and Dany Provençal escaped from a detention centre in St-Jérôme, Que. Hitman Ryan Wolfson

Montreal fentanyl trafficker pulls 12 years

Duc Khuong Pham, 29, pleaded guilty to possess 1.042 kilograms of furanylfentanyl for the purpose of trafficking, possessing 207 grams of furanylfentanyl-laced heroin for the purpose of trafficking, possessing 1.7 kilograms of crack cocaine for the purpose of trafficking and possessing 223 grams of methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking.

The judge accepted a joint submission from Crown and defence for the 12-year sentence, and had two words in particular for Pham: “Fentanyl kills.” Pham has been in custody since his arrest on Nov. 15, 2016. With credit for pre-trial custody, he must serve another 10 years in prison. Court heard that furanylfentanyl is an analogue with one-fifth the potency of fentanyl. Although chemically almost the same as fentanyl, doctors can’t risk prescribing it because it’s so unstable and dangerous. The court heard that the furanylfentanyl seized by police was worth $2 million on the street, but only $1,250 to $6,000 on the international wholesale market.

Alexandru Sovu - ATM Skimming Gang

The ringleader of a notorious ATM skimming gang has escaped U.K. prosecutors and is believed to be on the run abroad, after being let out on bail. Despite absconding in the middle of legal procedures, the trial continued, and a jury found Alexandru Sovu, 39, of Romania, guilty. A Crown Court judge sentenced him to 11 years in prison. Sovu is the ringleader of a cyber-criminal gang that designed, manufactured, and sold ATM skimming devices and false ATM fronts that allowed crooks to record credit and debit card numbers from ATM users.

Sovu's devices were sold to crooks who used them to carry out ATM fraud in countries such as the UK, the US, Ghana, Jamaica, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines. Sovu and others built the devices in a garden shed in Colchester, England. They used now-defunct websites to sell the devices.

Sovu's devices were considered top-of-the-line products circa 2012-2013.

When Sovu and his partners had to ship ATM skimmers abroad, they broke down the device and hid parts as electronic circuitry inside remote controlled toys so that airport employees wouldn't get suspicious. Sovu and his gang, all Romanians, were arrested last year. Four men and another woman already received prison sentences for their parts in the operation.

Canadian cruise ship passengers admit smuggling cocaine worth $ 18m into Sydney

The pair had documented their extravagant 51-day trip aboard the Princess Cruise liner from the UK to Australia on Instagram.

Two Canadian cruise ship passengers have pleaded guilty to smuggling cocaine worth $21 million (AUD) into Sydney on a cruise ship. Melina Roberge, 24, and Andre Tamine, 63, both from Quebec, changed their plea shortly before they were due to stand trial on drug importation charges. Another passenger, Isabelle Lagacé, 29, had already admitted in November last year to importing the drugs and was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison.

Australian Border Force (ABF) police found 200lbs of cocaine stashed in suitcases when they boarded the vessel at Sydney Harbour in August 2016. They discovered 77lbs of cocaine in a cabin shared by the two female passengers and an additional 130lbs in Mr Tamine’s room. ABF commander Tim Fitzgerald said it was Australia’s largest ever drug seizure on a boat or plane.

See ----->http://gangstersoutt.blogspot.ca/2017/11/quebec-cocaine-smuggler-lagace-pulls-75.html
See ----->http://gangstersoutt.blogspot.ca/2016/08/canadians-charged-after-95-kilograms-of.html

'You weak boneyard dog': Hells Angel enforcer slams ex-Bandidos president

Brett 'Kaos' Pechey, former president of a Queensland Bandidos chapter, has been abused in an expletive-laden rant.

Two high-profile bikies have been involved in an expletive-laden mashup, going into battle online amid fears of a bikie war. Benjamin 'Notorious' Geppert, a former Hells Angels enforcer, slammed Brett 'Kaos' Pechey. 'Kaos you weak boneyard dog... don't hide behind me for protection. Ya know where I live so come be a man' Both bikies have amassed large Instagram followings in recent years, but their social followings pale in comparison to their partners. Geppert's girlfriend Allaina Vader boasts 158,000 followers, while Pechey's amateur model partner Rikki Jones has more than 30,000. They no longer follow each other.

Ben 'Notorious' Geppert launched the tirade.

'Don' Carlo Gambino

"Don" Carlo Gambino (August 24, 1902 - October 15, 1976) was a Sicilian mobster, notable for being Boss of the Gambino crime family. Carlo Gambino began carrying out murder orders for Mob bosses in his teens. At the age of 19, he became a "made man", and was inducted into Cosa Nostra. He was the brother-in-law of Gambino crime family mobster Paul Castellano. After the 1957 Apalachin Convention he unexpectedly seized control of the Commission of the American Mafia.

Gambino rose steadily in the ranks and after organizing the murder of Anastasia became the new boss of the Mangano crime family, which was renamed the Gambino crime family. Gambino secretly aligned himself with Luciano, Costello and Lansky against Vito Genovese. Soon after the Apalachin Conference disaster, Costello, Luciano and Lansky met face to face in Italy. Luciano came up with a plan which would get rid of Genovese for good. In 1959, Genovese was going to Atlanta where a huge shipment of heroin was arriving. When he arrived, Genovese was surprised by local police, the FBI and the ATF.

He was convicted for selling heroin and sentenced to 15 years in penitentiary.

With the support of Costello and Luciano, Gambino was named head of the Commission in 1962. Gambino ruled his family and the other New York families with an iron fist, while keeping a low profile both from the public and law enforcement. Gambino died of a heart attack on October 15, 1976. After leading the Gambino crime syndicate for 20 years, and The Commission for more than 15, he left behind a family with 500 soldiers, and he died while watching television at his home. His funeral was attended by at least 2,000, including police officers, judges and politicians.

Frank 'the Prime Minister' Costello

Frank 'the Prime Minister' Costello (Francesco Castiglia; January 26, 1891 – February 18, 1973) was an Italian-American Mafia gangster and crime boss. Costello rose to the top of the United States underworld.

He became one of the most powerful and influential mafia bosses in American history.

While working for the Morello gang, Costello met Charlie "Lucky" Luciano, the Sicilian leader of Manhattan's Lower East Side gang. The two Italians immediately became friends and partners. The Luciano-Costello-Lansky-Siegel alliance prospered with the passage of Prohibition in 1920. The gang went into bootlegging, backed by criminal financier Arnold "the Brain" Rothstein. In 1931 Luciano became the leader of the new Luciano crime family, with Genovese as underboss and Costello as consigliere. Costello quickly became the biggest earner for the Luciano family and began to carve his own niche in the underworld. In 1936, Luciano was convicted of running a prostitution ring and was sentenced to 30 to 50 years in state prison. Luciano appointed Costello as acting boss.

Vito Genovese waited 10 years after his deportation to Italy to make his move against Frank Costello. On May 2, 1957, Costello was shot in the head by Genovese protege, Vincent "Chin" Gigante. Before taking the shot, Gigante called out, "This is for you, Frank!" On hearing this, Costello turned his head. Gigante fled the scene thinking the fallen Costello was dead. However, Gigante's warning had saved Costello and left him with only a scalp wound. During his retirement Costello still retained power and influence in New York's Mafia and remained busy throughout his final years. Costello suffered a heart attack and died February 18, 1973.

Inside the Comanchero

The history of the Comanchero motorcycle club covers half a century. Jock Ross was a Glasgow-born former soldier who founded the club on the New South Wales Central Coast with four other motorcycle enthusiasts on April 15, 1966. Ross, the Comanchero's self-styled 'supreme commander', led the gang into the 1984 Milperra Massacre, in which four of his men, two Bandidos and a 14-year-old girl died. Following the Milperra Massacre, Ross maintained nominal control of the Comanchero for almost 20 years until a new breed of bikie arrived.

Rapid recruitment of Middle Eastern members in the late 1990s and increasing involvement in the drug trade changed the gang. Ross was in retirement when a group of the new brigade, including Mahmoud 'Mick' Hawi, drove up to visit about 2002. The new members of the Comanchero, young and fearless, respected only money and power. Led my Mick Hawi, they delivered a vicious beating to the much older man.

They left him battered and took both his club colours and his Harley-Davidson. Ross was about 60. Hawi was barely 21.

Within a year the 22-year-old Hawi was national president. The Comanchero claim to follow a strict policy of not associating with other OMGs. They are enemies of the Bandidos, Hells Angels and Nomads. Hawi's leadership coincided with growing tension between the Comanchero and the HA. The Comanchero rapidly expanded their recruitment to include Middle Eastern, Greek and Serbians. On March 22, 2009, Hawi was on a flight to Sydney with other Comanchero. Hells Angels president Derek Wainohu was also on board. Wainohu contacted gang members in Sydney. Comancheros did the same. When the two groups met, 12 Comanchero confronted five Hells Angels. HA associate Anthony Zervas was killed. Hawi was found guilty of the murder of Zervas.

From its humble Central Coast beginnings the club moved to Sydney and through NSW and now has chapters in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth as well as Sarajevo, Russia and Spain. In 2015 it was thought the gang had about 400 members, more than half of them in NSW. The MC's current boss Mick Murray and his wife were last year caught owing the tax office up to AUD$4million

See ----->http://gangstersoutt.blogspot.ca/2018/02/mahmoud-mick-hawi-executed.html

Daring Cash-in-Transit Theft caught on Camera

Another daring cash-in-transit heist took place in South Africa. Gunmen forced the guards out of the van and ordered them to lie on the ground. The robbers bombed the van before fleeing with an undisclosed amount of cash.

See ----->http://gangstersoutt.blogspot.ca/2017/10/cash-in-transit-heists-big-business-for.html
See ----->http://gangstersoutt.blogspot.ca/2017/12/cash-in-transit-heists-cit.html

Ecuador's 'Pablo Escobar' drug kingpin extradited to US

Drug kingpin Washington Prado, dubbed Ecuador's 'Pablo Escobar' who was under arrest in Colombia was extradited to the US early Saturday. Also known as "Gerard," he faces charges of moving more than 250 tonnes of Colombian cocaine from Ecuador's Pacific coast to Central America and beyond. Colombian authorities captured the 36-year-old Prado in April 2017 and held him in a maximum security prison in Bogota. Prado has also been linked to bribing and murdering prosecutors and investigators in Ecuador. Prado tried to avoid extradition by claiming to be an ex-guerrilla with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

See ----->http://gangstersoutt.blogspot.ca/2017/05/colombian-cocaine-production-more-than.html

Mahmoud “Mick” Hawi executed - Update

Mourners clash roadside with police before slain bikie’s funeral A clash between a police officer and mourners heading to the funeral of bikie boss Mahmoud “Mick” Hawi has been caught on camera. The NSW Police officer draws a Taser as he gets into a verbal mash with one of Hawi’s friends. Constable Murphy is a member of Strike Force Raptor, an elite police unit made up of 55 heavily armed police officers tasked with dismantling the violent bikie gang.

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Mahmoud “Mick” Hawi was 22 and just four years after joining the Comancheros MC as a teenager, he took over running the fierce mob. He was the national president and he demanded respect. It was six years into his reign when he became a household name after his Comancheros took on a group of Hells Angels in a now infamous Sydney Airport brawl. The brawl, where Hells Angel Anthony Zervas was killed, followed an ongoing feud between the two gangs which included the firebombing of the Hells Angels clubhouse in Petersham and several other businesses linked to the gang.

Mick Hawi, pictured in 2009.

Mahmoud “Mick” Hawi was shot dead after being ambushed by gunmen who pumped numerous rounds into his Mercedes four-wheel drive. Detectives will now need to investigate a long list of suspects who may have wanted Hawi dead. It is said he had an open contract on his head.

CCTV footage showed two men dressed in black running in a nearby street from the scene of a burning car.

Hells Angels hit still before the courts — 17 years later

It has been more than 17 years since Sean Eamonn Simmons, 31, was gunned down in a Dartmouth, N.S. Hells Angels hit, but the case against two of the men accused in his killing has still been winding through the courts. This week, charges of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder against Steven Gerald Gareau were stayed in Nova Scotia Supreme Court, which means he no longer faces prosecution. Gareau has already been twice tried and convicted of the murder, first in 2004 and then 2014, but each conviction was overturned on appeal. On Wednesday, the charge against Gareau was stayed. Gareau did not pull the trigger. He argued at previous trials that he did not even know there was a plan to kill Simmons that day.

Hells Angels Neil Smith and Sean Simmons

The man accused of shooting Simmons, Dean Daniel Kelsie, is trying to secure a lawyer for his retrial on a murder charge. At Kelsie's first trial, the jury heard evidence that Simmons was killed because he had an affair with the girlfriend of a Hells Angel. Kelsie was convicted of both murder and conspiracy to commit murder in March 2003. While he filed notice immediately of his intention to appeal his conviction, it took 13 years for that appeal to be heard. Two other men, Neil William Smith and Wayne Alexander James, are both serving life sentences for their roles in Simmons's killing.

See ----->http://gangstersoutt.blogspot.ca/2016/10/hells-angels-hit-man-dean-kelsie.html