DRUG GANGS TARGETED

Arrests Of Alleged LHS Members Significant, Police Say

CITY police stormed several city homes yesterday while investigating a
series of violent kidnappings and gunpoint attacks related to a turf war
involving two drug gangs. Three alleged members of the so-called LHS street
gang have been arrested and face nearly two dozen charges.

Police say the arrests are significant because they interfere with the
ability of the drug gangs to do business in Winnipeg.

"We're certainly going to make them doing business as difficult as
possible," gang unit Staff Sgt. Boyd Campbell said.

The case involves an attempt by one of the gangs to assert its control over
the city's street trade in cocaine and other drugs, police say.

Campbell also said the investigation shows police have intimate knowledge
of what's going on in the drug world, and will act quickly before internal
violence spills outside and hurts innocent people. "The drug trade also has
its spider web effect," he said. "Many people who buy drugs have to steal
money to do that. They rob stores and steal purses."

One of the three men arrested, Bekim Zeneli, is the alleged leader of LHS,
a relatively new gang that police claim has strong ties to the Hells Angels
and their puppet club, the Zig Zag Crew. Police say LHS stands for
"loyalty, honour, silence."

Zeneli registered L.H.S. Inc. as a legitimate company in March 2002 and
appointed himself president, according to documents obtained yesterday by
the Free Press. Zeneli claims the "investment and/or holding" company is
named after his parents. The documents claim 100 class 'A' shares were sold.

Three men and one woman claim they were kidnapped by several gun-toting
men, repeatedly beaten and threatened with death during a frightening
ordeal late last month. Two other people -- one man and one woman -- claim
they were beaten with a handgun and threatened by the same suspects on the
same day.

Some of the victims have ties to a rival criminal organization that has
been feuding with the LHS street gang and Hells Angels for the past two years.

Members of the police gang unit swooped in on the kidnapping suspects this
week, kicking down doors and arresting two men -- Jonathon Amos and Shane
Covey. The third suspect -- Zeneli -- was already in custody. Police say
the LHS is at the bottom of the Hells Angels pyramid in Manitoba and is run
by Zeneli and his brother, Mohammed.

Zeneli made headlines earlier this week when he filed a unique legal
challenge seeking access to $43,000 cash which was seized by police last
year during an arrest on drug and proceeds of crime charges. Zeneli claims
he needs the money to pay his lawyer.

Police and the Crown objected, saying the money is from the lucrative
cocaine trade. Zeneli told court he is a self-employed promoter who made
the money legally while bringing concerts to several city nightclubs
through his business, LHS Inc.

Legal Aid has turned Zeneli down, claiming he makes too much money to
qualify. But Zeneli insists all his savings and future profits have
vanished while he sits in jail.

A Queen's Bench judge refused Zeneli's motion, accusing him of playing
"fast and loose" with the justice system. He also questioned Zeneli's
alleged business dealings.

The dispute turned nasty later in the week, when a provincial court judge
threatened to lodge a formal Law Society complaint against Zeneli's defence
lawyer, who filed a motion to withdraw from the case on the grounds he
isn't going to be paid.

Jason Miller made the motion just two weeks before Zeneli is to begin a
lengthy preliminary hearing, which prompted Judge Murray Howell to lash out
in court.

"This is late in the day for Mr. Miller to be making this application. He
has put the Crown and the entire justice system in a difficult position,"
said Howell. Zeneli's case has been adjourned until next week for a formal
adjournment motion to be filed, as he no longer has legal representation.
His brother, Mohammed, and a third man are slated to be tried at the same
time on related charges.

Zeneli's new charges yesterday include four counts of kidnapping with a
firearm, four counts of uttering threats to kill, two counts of pointing a
handgun, assault, and possessing prohibited and restricted weapons.

Amos is charged with three counts of unlawful use of a firearm in a
kidnapping, two counts of possessing an unlicensed weapon, and possessing a
prohibited weapon. Covey is charged with a single count of using a firearm
in a kidnapping. All three men remain in custody.