DRUG TRAFFIC TAINTS PORT

Hells Angels Part Of Organized-crime Consortium, Rcmp Allege

Drug seizures out of the Port of Montreal clearly show the port is
infiltrated by a consortium of organized-crime syndicates that includes the
Hells Angels, according to RCMP narcotics investigators.

Staff-Sgt. Jean Pierre Boucher told The Gazette yesterday that
investigations into six huge hashish seizures this year show that organized
crime is facilitating the flow of drugs through the port.

"The drugs come in and out of the port really easily, which means there is
a powerful organization (controlling the port)," he said.

He said an investigation into a hashish seizure last Friday allowed the
RCMP to identify organized-crime suspects working in the port. Boucher
refused to name the suspects but he said arrests are pending.

"Everybody knows there's a problem at the harbour and this incident
confirms this," he said.

The RCMP seized a shipment of 1,000 kilograms of hashish from Belgium. The
hash was hidden in a container loaded with boxes of 5-kilo bricks of
Belgium chocolate. Police made the seizure at a small chocolate-processing
plant in Town of Mount Royal. The RCMP refused to make public the name of
the company.

Sgt. Mike Roussy noted the shipment arrived at the Port of Montreal last
Thursday and by Friday was on its way to the T.M.R. plant.

"They are able to get the drugs out faster than the legitimate goods," he
said. "We know some people in the Port of Montreal are connected to the
Hells Angels."

Boucher said the RCMP has seized 21,000 kilos of hashish out of the port
this year.

In addition, two other shipments destined for the port were seized in New
York and South Africa.

These shipments were also huge. The New York shipment contained 10,000
kilos and the South African 11,500.

This is not the first time police have said the port is controlled by
organized crime.

Last month, Montreal Urban Community police said they believe a ring of
about 10 people working in the port were involved in smuggling a shipment
of 5 tonnes of hashish seized on Oct. 19. Police said they believe the
workers are connected to the West End Gang and the bikers.

Michel Murray, president of the longshoremen's union, the Syndicat des
Debardeurs du Port de Montreal, denied last month that the port is
infiltrated by organized crime.