ORGANIZED CRIME FESTERS; REPORT

Gangs Running Gamut Of Operations In Alberta's Underbelly

Southern Alberta is festering with increasingly sophisticated organized
crime, says an annual report focused on the province's seedy underbelly.

In a study covering April 2002 to the end of March, the Criminal
Intelligence Service Alberta (CISA) states illegal gangs are more
sophisticated than ever with crimes ranging from money laundering to
homicide, with operations ranging from street-level deals to crime hidden
under the umbrella of legitimate business.

"It is apparent that there is an abundance of organized crime groups in the
province," Calgary police inspector and former CISA director Brian Skeet
said, adding last year, more than $2.5 million was invested into joint
forces investigations throughout Alberta.

"Drug manufacturing, drug trafficking, homicides, weapons offences, auto
theft, identity theft, extortion, crimes of violence and the laundering of
illegal proceeds of crime are the primary criminal activities that are being
investigated."

He also said Asian gangs are taking over the southern Alberta drug trade,
playing a major role in growing and selling marijuana.

"The vast majority of marijuana grow operations being dismantled in southern
Alberta have been organized and managed by Asian-based organized crime
groups," Skeet said.

"In many of these cases, the grows have been set up in expensive homes that
do not have permanent residents and the entire home is used for various
stages of the grow operations."

But the Hells Angels control of the crystal meth trade in the province is
law enforcement's fastest growing problem, the report says.

"Intelligence and enforcement actions have demonstrated that some members of
the Hells Angels control the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine
in several communities in the province," Skeet said, adding they also work
closely with gangs in other communities to expand their drug trade.

Police are also keeping a close eye on five Eastern European gangs in
Calgary with more than 100 shell companies involved in jewelry smuggling and
counterfeiting.

And Calgary is still home to three Italian-based Mafia gangs operating in
the city since the 1980s.

"While information would indicate that these subjects have perpetrated
criminal activities in Alberta since the mid-1980s, the groups for the most
part are fairly stable and few of their members have had brushes with the
law," Skeet said.

A Jamaican-based gang is known by cops to be active in trafficking cocaine
within its community.

Calgary police chief Jack Beaton said the findings aren't surprising with
gang activity coming to a head late last year, sparking the implementation
of a specialized police Gang Task Force that is still up and running.

"Fortunately, we have been able to stop the violence and we have not had a
death since the task force was put together," Beaton said.

"Our next priority is to locate and to hold those people accountable who
have been doing the gang activity in our city."

FAST FACTS

Here is a breakdown of organized crime groups known to be operating in
Alberta and the crimes they are associated with according to the Criminal
Intelligence Service Alberta:

* Ten Asian organized crime groups: Drug importation, cultivation and
trafficking, as well as money laundering, illegal gaming, extortion,
credit/debit card fraud and loan sharking.

Drug territory has grown. Several homicides, numerous drive-by shootings and
violent assaults.

* One motorcycle gang: The Hells Angels are the only outlaw motorcycle gang
in Alberta with chapters in Calgary, Edmonton and Red Deer.

* Three Italian-based gangs: drug trafficking, loan sharking, money
laundering and stolen property rings.

* Five Eastern European gangs: Jewelry smuggling, drug importation and
trafficking, illegal gambling, production and passing of counterfeit
currency.

* Three Jamaican gangs: Trafficking cocaine and money laundering.

* Middle East-based organized crime: Several groups are known to be active
in drug trafficking and money laundering.

* South Asian gangs: At least two are active with cocaine trafficking,
credit card fraud and vehicle thefts.