CLASH OF THE TITANS

Leading provincial organized crime experts say migration of the
Bandidos motorcycle gang into B.C. is a near-certainty - and one
Bandidos member already lives in Abbotsford. Officials fear that if
and when the Bandidos arrive in the province they'll spark a fierce
biker war with the Hells Angels, who are currently the No. 1 organized
crime group in B.C.

"Could the Bandidos arrive here in the next year? Yeah, they could,"
said Insp. Andy Richards of the combined forces special enforcement
unit of B.C. "And when they do there's a risk of potential serious
conflict between those two biker gangs. It's just the nature of the
beast."

The Hells Angels have seven chapters in B.C., including an established
group in Mission, and Richards says they won't give up their
stronghold without a fight. Couple that with the fact the Bandidos
have 14 chapters in nearby Washington - 87 across the United States in
total - and some Mission and Abbotsford investigators are worried
violence may erupt on local turf.

Mission RCMP Staff Sgt. Jack Robinson referred to the war between the
Hells Angels and the Rock Machine gang [who later merged into the
Bandidos] in Quebec, where the rivalry has resulted in more than 160
deaths since 1994.

Some have been innocent victims, including two jail guards and an
11-year-old boy who was hit by shrapnel from a car bomb nine years
ago.

"That's something we don't want to see and don't want it to happen,"
said Robinson.

Richards, however, said it might happen here, especially because the
Hells Angels have a lot to lose if the Bandidos are able to tap into
the B.C. drug industry.

"It's a very lucrative place," said Richards, adding that the Hells
Angels are vulnerable in certain areas of the province. "They control
large portions [of B.C.], but they don't control it all. If the
Bandidos set their mind to it they could certainly look around and
find some openings."

The Bandidos have already set up five chapters across Canada - two in
Quebec, two in Ontario and a probationary chapter in Alberta - but
those entries haven't been smooth. Police say a rivalry between the
Hells Angels and Bandidos resulted in seven murders in Ontario from
August 2001 to May 2002.

And in late January two Surrey men associated with the Bandidos were
killed in Alberta, although those deaths haven't officially been
linked to the Hells Angels.

"This is serious stuff," said Richards. "These guys play for keeps.
[The Bandidos] are a sophisticated worldwide organization that have
the ability to operate under the radar for periods of time before they
surface."

There are currently two Bandidos members living in B.C., and
Abbotsford police Sgt. Daniel Wight said local investigators are aware
of the one living in Abbotsford.

"We know who he is and we've identified him," said Wight. "It's
something that's on the radar screen."

The Bandidos' website promises more chapters "coming soon" to Canada.