MASSIVE POLICE SWEEP TARGETS STREET GANGS

Hundreds of police officers in Quebec and Ontario carried out a
massive sweep yesterday to crack down on street gang members.

The operation followed a lengthy investigation into drug trafficking,
and targeted both dealers and gang leaders.

In Quebec, more than 700 police officers, including members of the
Laval and Longueuil police, fanned out across the greater Montreal
area. As of yesterday afternoon 47 people had been arrested, including
three women. Most of the suspects were to appear in court today,
Montreal police said. All were adults. Police expect to make further
arrests.

Police executed 63 search warrants, seizing 25 weapons, 2,300 rocks of
crack cocaine, 41 kilograms of cocaine, 225 kilograms of marijuana,
bulletproof vests, 12 computers and $600,000 in cash.

Charges include gangsterism, conspiracy to murder, arms possession,
cocaine trafficking, crack production, conspiracy to import cocaine
and possession for the purposes of trafficking.

Included among those targeted in the operation is Gregory Wooley, an
influential member of the Hells Angels former underling network who is
currently serving time at a penitentiary in Kingston, Ont.

Wooley, a former member of the Rockers, a Hells Angels puppet gang, is
serving time for offences that took place during the biker gang war in
the 1990s.

But he is now facing new charges related to the current investigation
which targeted at least two major Montreal-based street gangs. Wooley
was scheduled to have a parole hearing in the coming weeks.

A 38-year-old inmate at another federal penitentiary, the Leclerc
Institution in Laval, Que., is also expected to be placed under
arrest. The man at Leclerc is believed to be the head of the Syndicate
street gang.