HELLS ANGELS TRIALS MAY RUN WELL INTO 2006

VANCOUVER -- Members of the Hells Angels motorcycle club and their lawyers
packed a courtroom yesterday to make plans for six separate trials, one
expected to run for half of 2006.

Little is known about the cases involving about 20 bikers who were charged
when police raided their clubhouses in Vancouver and Kelowna this summer.

The charges relate to production and trafficking of methamphetamine, and
many of the men are accused of committing offences in association with a
criminal organization.

The biggest of the six trials will be led by federal prosecutor Martha
Devlin, who told the court yesterday she expects her evidence will take
four to six months to deliver.

The eight accused in this trial have different lawyers who may also call
evidence.

The matter most heavily focuses on John Virgil Punko, 39, a member of the
East End chapter of the Hells Angels who is charged with directing and
committing offences in association with a criminal organization. He also
faces drug charges -- conspiracy to produce and traffic meth and
trafficking cocaine. He's accused of possessing proceeds of crime and
conspiracy to commit extortion, mischief, assault and one count of threatening.

Also accused is Randall Potts, 45. He faces similar charges of conspiracy
to traffic drugs and directing and committing offences for a criminal
organization. He's also accused of possessing explosives for a criminal
organization.

The rest of the co-accused in the federal trial are younger men who are
known as associates of the Hells Angels: Kerry Ryan Renaud, 25, David
Pearse, 27, Nima Abbassian-Ghavami, 25, Jason Brown, 30, Wissam Ayach, 26,
and Chad Barroby, 27.

They face charges relating to conspiracy to produce and traffic meth and
committing offences in association with a criminal organization.

About half of the men who will appear in the six trials are still in jail.
The rest are out on bail.

The matter was put over until Sept. 27 when trial dates will likely be set.