Police presence boosted as Hells Angels roll into Lethbridge to open new chapter

Police from crossed Canada will beryllium descending upon Lethbridge this play arsenic members of nan Hells Angels and supporters of nan motorcycle pack rotation into nan confederate Alberta city.

“We’re anticipating anyplace from 200 to 300 members,” said acting insp. Pete Christos, who is successful complaint of nan criminal investigations section astatine nan Lethbridge Police Service.

Members of a caller Hells Angels section successful Lethbridge, their support clubs and others are holding a expansive opening statement and are anticipated to thrust during various events complete nan weekend.

“It conscionable intends that they’re looking to found themselves wrong our city,” Christos said. “Clubhouses person been identified passim nan city, passim this state for a agelong time. For here, we’re prepared to woody pinch this arsenic it evolves.”

The Hells Angels is nan world’s largest outlaw motorcycle pack and has respective inferior support clubs beneath it. Peter Edwards, organized crime newsman pinch nan Toronto Star and an writer of respective books connected organized crime, likens it to nan NHL having nan American Hockey League and nan East Coast Hockey League.

The organization’s well-known criminal history ranges from white-collar crime for illustration fraud, counterfeiting, money laundering, contraband smuggling, extortion, and forbidden gambling to much superior offences for illustration supplier trafficking, battle and murder.

Police said nan pack uses its liking successful motorcycles arsenic a screen for forbidden activities. The Hells Angels is wide known to utilize support clubs and subordinate clubs to region themselves from criminal acts they’re engaged in.

Christos said investigators person been alert of nan Hells Angels’ intentions successful Lethbridge for immoderate clip now and constabulary are prepared. He did not stock wherever nan caller clubhouse is located.

Lethbridge constabulary said nan pack beingness is expected to beryllium highly visible and officers will beryllium assessing immoderate imaginable threats to nationalist information connected a case-by-case basis.

To that end, officers from nan RCMP, ALERT Integrated Gang Enforcement Team, Calgary Police Service, Edmonton Police Service, Medicine Hat Police Service, Taber Police Service, Camrose Police Service and different Canadian constabulary agencies are heading to Lethbridge.

LPS said nan agencies person joined successful a coordinated consequence and will beryllium visible passim nan metropolis to show outlaw motorcycle pack members and their activities.

In addition, Section 69.1(1) of nan Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act, enables nan removal and removal of pack members from licensed establishments specified arsenic bars and immoderate restaurants. Police said they will “monitor imaginable attendance astatine applicable locations.”

“It has been good documented that galore outlaw motorcycle pack members, their friends and associates, are progressive successful criminal activity,” Christos said. “We will beryllium moving pinch our policing partners to show their presence, deter forbidden activity and support nationalist information done an overt constabulary presence.”

It is expected that a ample number of Hells Angels and their supporters will get successful nan metropolis connected July 12. The nationalist is asked to beryllium alert of nan important summation successful motorcycle postulation and stock nan roadworthy safely.

Christos said it’s believed astir will time off aft holding their celebration, and nan nationalist is advised to time off nan visitors unsocial and not prosecute pinch them astatine all.

“We do person an operational scheme successful spot wherever we’re going to beryllium monitoring these individuals and their activities truthful we are well-prepared for this.”

Earlier successful nan spring, nan Hells Angels group up a caller clubhouse conscionable extracurricular nan metropolis limits of Peterborough, Ont.

The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club was founded successful 1948 successful California. The group has astir 6,000 members crossed 467 charters successful 59 countries.

In much caller years, nan Hells Angels person aimed to support a debased floor plan since nan deadly biker wars complete narcotic trafficking successful nan 1990s, according to Criminologist and erstwhile Bloc Québécois MP Maria Mourani.

The fights led to nan deaths of much than 160 group betwixt 1994 and 2002, including 9 bystanders, according to experts.

The biker pack now prefers to discuss alternatively of turning to unit to settee scores, Mourani said, arsenic it’s bad for business.

— With files from Michelle Butterfield, Greg Davis and Robert Lothian, Global News