HELLS ANGELS DRAWN TO VALLEY BY OPPORTUNITY

The Same Things That Attract Legitimate Businesses To The Okanagan
Lured The Hells Angels Here

"Like any enterprise, if the Hells Angels see an opportunity they
pursue it," Vancouver RCMP Insp. Bob Paulson said Sunday

"The growth of Kelowna, the size of the community and the lifestyle
would all be factors in why the Hells Angels are there." On Friday,
Vancouver RCMP raided two Hells Angels clubhouses - the Vancouver
East End chapter and an East End chapter satellite in Kelowna at the
corner of Ellis Street and Roanoke Avenue

The stuccoed house and carriage house-garage in Kelowna's North End
looks like the newer residences that are infilling in this
established neighbourhood. However, a closer look shows it is well
secured with chainlink fencing, small windows that always seem to be
covered from the inside and discreet comings and goings

"The Kelowna satellite wants to get sanctioned as its own chapter,"
explained Paulson

"We want to stop that. We want to stop any expansion of the Hells
Angels." Paulson said six East End members hold down the Kelowna
clubhouse, and other Hells Angels members from the Vancouver and
Mission chapters live in or frequent Kelowna

At both clubhouses Friday, police arrived with warrants and battering
rams to get into the houses in residential areas

In Kelowna three arrests were made Friday and a fourth Sunday

The four will appear in court this morning, along with those arrested
in Vancouver, to face drug and organized crime charges

There will then be a news conference at 10 a.m. at RCMP headquarters
in Vancouver to discuss the case

"We can't say what was seized in Vancouver and Kelowna right now
because the investigation is sensitive and we don't want to
compromise the investigation," said Paulson

"We hope to be very forthcoming at the news conference once people
have been charged." Paulson said police are looking into all aspects
of organized crime that the Hells Angels may be part of in Kelowna,
ranging from drug importation, production and trafficking to
extortion, loan sharking and prostitution

"People in Kelowna may not believe it, but it's there all right," he said

"There's a real subculture of criminals and they seem to somehow get
connected or affiliated with the Hells Angels." The Vancouver RCMP
did the raid in Kelowna with the help of the Kelowna RCMP and the
Kelowna District Drug Section

"It was a great co-operative effort and part of our integrated
approach," said Paulson.