QUEBEC POLICE STING HELLS ANGELS CHAPTERS

Police fanned out across Quebec today, arresting more than 20 Hells Angels
associates, including a prominent lawyer.

Provincial police said one of the 23 people arrested was Benoit Cliche, who
appeared in court on Monday to defend Maurice (Mom) Boucher, the Hells
leader who is in prison on two first-degree murder convictions.

Police spokesperson Marc Ippersiel said police arrested Cliche on suspicion
he was running the criminal operations of Steve (Bull) Bertrand, who is
also behind bars.

"Mr. Cliche is currently detained by police and faces four charges,
including gangsterism and facilitating a crime," Ippersiel said in an
interview.

Ippersiel said Cliche also was to be arraigned later Wednesday on charges
of drug-trafficking and conspiracy to traffic drugs.

Many of today's arrests were made in the Montreal area, while others were
made in Gatineau, in western Quebec.

Ippersiel said police busted four cells with ties to the Hells. One of the
cells was allegedly operated by Bertrand, a close friend of Boucher but not
a Hells member.

The arrests led police to freeze $4.3 million in assets, including homes,
bank accounts, luxury vehicles and Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

Police said they hoped to make more arrests later Wednesday.

Twelve police forces, including the RCMP, took part in Operation Hurricane.