DRUGS AND VIOLENCE, THE COMMON THREAD

Street gangsters in Winnipeg come in all shapes and sizes - from
aboriginal teens in disadvantaged neighbourhoods to white bikers
born and bred in the suburbs.

But despite their differences, two things bind them: Drugs and violence.

Manitoba's gangsters and organized crime members - last estimated at
more than 1,500 - are lured to the criminal underworld for reasons
including a sense of belonging, personal protection and status. But
it's the money made from selling gang-controlled drugs that keeps
them coming.

It's impossible to estimate the money that sales of cocaine, crystal
methamphetamine, marijuana and less common drugs put into pockets of
Winnipeg gangsters, though police have said the city's cocaine trade
alone is worth more than $5 million a month.

A large portion of that trade can be traced to the city's two
biggest outlaw motorcycle clubs: The Hells Angels and the Bandidos.

"I've heard them referred to as motorcycle enthusiasts and certainly
they are that and more," said Sgt. Rob Harding, a supervisor in the
Winnipeg police organized crime unit. "Probably the main part of
their business is the drug trade. It's a money-making venture. And
that's what they do. They make money in the drug trade."

In February, Winnipeg Police arrested 13 people with alleged ties to
the Hells Angels - including Manitoba chapter president Ernie Dew -
after an undercover police informant bought more than $400,000 worth
of cocaine and meth from the bikers in less than a year.

That headline-grabbing sweep is the kind of bite Mayor Sam Katz
wants to take out of organized crime more often, but much of the
fight against gangs is coming in smaller measures.

After the provincial government provided the city with $4 million in
gaming revenue over two years to recruit an additional 48 cops, Katz
and Police Chief Jack Ewatski launched Operation Clean Sweep last
November to clamp down on street crime - much of it gang-related.

"We're moving in the right direction. We need to do more," Katz said.

"And we're going to put in more energy and as many resources as we
need to make sure we can deal with gang violence."

Clean Sweep was initially estimated to cost $1.6 million with 45
officers for three months. Katz has since pledged it will run indefinitely.

Besides the biker gangs and their puppet clubs - groups of mostly
suburban, mostly white young men who run drugs and weapons for the
bikers in order to insulate their superiors from evidence - Winnipeg
is home to Asian-based, aboriginal-based and African-based crime
groups, as well as European-based groups including the Mafia.

"We've got European connections here. We've got Italian connections
here connected to eastern Canada and eastern states, Chicago.
There's some of everything," Harding said.

"There's connections here from almost anything you can think of."

Some of the better known Winnipeg gangs include native groups such
as the Indian Posse, the Manitoba Warriors and the Native Syndicate.