LAWYER CHARGED IN DRUG OPERATION

34 Arrested Allegedly Linked To Hells Angels

A prominent criminal lawyer was among 34 people with alleged ties to
Hells Angels arrested in a series of pre-dawn raids across Western
Quebec and the Montreal area yesterday, as part of a massive police
operation targeting organized crime and motorcycle gangs.

More than 300 police officers from 12 police services, including the
Surete du Quebec, Gatineau police, the RCMP the and MRC des Collines,
fanned out in early-morning raids at 38 locations, including 15 in
Gatineau and the Outaouais. Raids were carried out in such locales as
Ripon, St-Andre and Mont St-Michel.

Montreal lawyer Benoit Cliche, who was in court Monday on behalf of
Hells Angels leader Maurice (Mom) Boucher, was among those arrested.
Mr. Boucher is in federal prison serving two first-degree murder
convictions.

Mr. Cliche, 44, also represents Steven (Bull) Bertrand, a cocaine
importer with close ties to Mr. Boucher, who is serving time in jail.

He was a lawyer in other prominent cases as well. Last year, he
defended a Transport Department employee and her husband who were
charged with supplying personal information on journalist Michel Auger
to the Hells Angels. Mr. Auger was shot in September 2001 in Le
Journal de Montreal's parking lot.

Police suspect Mr. Cliche of helping Mr. Bertrand move large
quantities of cocaine while Mr. Bertrand was behind bars.

"Mr. Cliche is currently detained by police and faces four charges,
including gangsterism and facilitating a crime," said Surete du Quebec
spokesman Marc Ippersiel.

A lawyer for 21 years, Mr. Cliche was arraigned by videoconference
last night on charges of drug trafficking and conspiracy to traffic
drugs.

He pleaded not guilty and a judge rejected a request by Mr. Cliche's
lawyer to have his client released on bail. He is scheduled to appear
at another bail hearing on Nov. 13.

Operation Ouragan, or hurricane, targeted four organized crime groups
and police are expected to divulge more details once the arrests are
completed.

Police seized more than $4.3 million in drugs and goods related to the
drug trade, including several properties, cars and
motorcycles.

Properties seized will be held under the RCMP's proceeds of crime
section, pending the outcome of prosecutions.

They include a mansion at Lac-Simon, about 300 kilometres north of
Gatineau owned by Pierre (Cash) Larose and valued at more than $2.3
million, police said.

The drugs seized were primarily marijuana and cocaine, police
said.

Gatineau police Lieut. Yves Martel said the operation targeted those
suspected of being "higher-end" people in the drug trade.

The police operation began in March 2002, an extension of a 1999
Quebec mandate to target organized crime and biker gangs.

Of the 34 arrests, 18 were in the Montreal area and the other 16 in
the Outaouais. Of the 38 raids, 15 were carried out in the Outaouais
and 23 in and around Montreal.

A news conference is scheduled for 10 a.m. today at the Surete du
Quebec headquarters in Gatineau, at which time police will unveil more
results of the investigation.