GANG DESTROYED BUT WAR CONTINUES

The laundry-list of "guilty" verdicts this week, at the end of a
three-month drug-gang "mega-trial," is good news for the justice
system, and for all Montrealers.

The street gang of dealers that operated brazenly on Pelletier Ave.
in Montreal North, using violence and threats of violence to maintain
its monopoly, has been demolished by the investigation, arrests, and
now convictions of 15 men.

Three of them, not Canadian citizens, are now prime candidates for
deportation. Assuming they are not rescued by the appeal court, the
three should be bundled onto a plane and sent back to Haiti.

What's significant about this trial is it shows how the justice
system has evolved to keep pace with the evolution of the criminal
threat to society. Drug trafficking is no longer purely the province
of sophisticated criminal enterprises such as the Mafia or biker
gangs; now, more loosely structured street gangs are in on the action, too.

In this case, the Crown demonstrated the gang was a "criminal
organization" that fit the 2001 amendments to the Criminal Code
widening the definition with groups just like this one in mind.

The convictions came on charges of trafficking in marijuana, cocaine
and crack, plus conspiracy to traffic. In addition, 10 of the 15 were
charged with trafficking for a criminal organization, which can lead
to a jail term of up to 14 years. Five of those 10 were convicted on
that charge. In addition, there were a number of guilty pleas filed
earlier by other members of the gang.

While these dealers will be off the street for some time, there are
no doubt many more drug dealers ready to take their place, and
equally willing to kill, injure and intimidate anyone who challenges
them, or is unlucky enough to get in the way.

Police and prosecutors have won a battle, but the war will continue.