HELLS HERE

A major seizure of crack cocaine is evidence that outlaw biker gangs are
doing their dirty business in southern Alberta, says Lethbridge's police chief.

"They've been here for some time and it's not just outlaw motorcycle gangs,
it's organized crime. Asian organized crime is clearly here in the city,"
said police Chief John Middleton-Hope.

"There are Hells Angels living in Coaldale, there are Hells Angels living
in Lethbridge, there are Hells Angels living in the vicinity," he said.
"How do they operate? They operate through fear and intimidation" and make
money by selling drugs and exploiting women.

He pointed to the recent seizure of $45,000 worth of crack cocaine from a
hotel room in Lethbridge as proof that organized criminals are already
seeking local inroads.

Almost 500 grams of crack with a street value of $45,000 was seized several
weeks ago. The drugs were packaged in small quantities to be sold on the
street.

Crack is crystallized cocaine, which is sold in small chunks known as rocks.

Police say the drugs are linked to organized crime in Edmonton.

Because of police pressure on their operations in Alberta's two big cities,
outlaw bikers and other organized crime rings are branching out to smaller
cities, where police have fewer resources, said Middleton-Hope.

"These factions are moving to communities like Medicine Hat, Lethbridge and
Red Deer," he said.

He was one of several police and civic officials on hand Wednesday night
for a presentation on outlaw biker gangs by Annette Bidniak, a senior
information officer with Edmonton city police.

Hells Angels in Canada and around the world are cultivating a smoother,
clean-cut image, but underneath the facade is the same old ugly group of
thugs, murderers and rapists, she told the audience.

By portraying themselves as "just normal folks," Hells Angels are trying to
lull the public into thinking they're harmless. Nothing could be further
from the truth, she said.

In addition to illicit drug sales, the outlaw gang relies on strip clubs,
massage parlours, escort services and prostitution to generate
"quasi-legitimate funds" out of the community, said Middleton-Hope.

Although police have confirmed the source of the seized crack, they have
yet to make any arrests and are seeking tips from the public. Bidniak said
communities can't simply rely on police and Crown prosecutors to combat
organized crime.

"It's everybody's problem. Everyone has to get involved in the battle
against it. It touches everyone's lives. Everyone, therefore, has to get
involved in the battle against it."