DOZENS ARRESTED IN RAIDS WITH EASTERN CANADIAN BIKER LINKS

Brothers Arrested In Halifax Said To Be Linked To Moncton Drug Trade

Police have arrested dozens of people, including two men in Halifax, as
part of a series of raids on drug operations with biker connections in
Eastern Canada.

The RCMP said 17 people were arrested in northwestern New Brunswick,
another 12 in the southeastern part of that province, and about 25 in the
Quebec City area.

"It's the dismantling of an important drug network controlled by the Hells
Angels," said Lyne Jacques, spokeswoman in the Quebec City region for the
police operation.

"Six people taken into custody in the Quebec City area are members of the
Hells Angels chapter."

There was also an arrest in Newfoundland. One person arrested was grabbed
in Paris, France, police said.

At least 40 raids were launched.

RCMP say the two men arrested Tuesday night at two Halifax hotels are
brothers who allegedly have connections to the Moncton area drug trade.

Joey Cormier, 30, of Moncton, and Jeff Cormier, 28, formerly of Moncton and
now of St. Johns, Nfld., were arrested without incident by about 10 RCMP
officers.

RCMP alleged that the brothers have connections with the Hells Angels and
the Damners.

But the RCMP say the brothers are not associate members of either club.

"They're purchasers. They're (allegedly) going out on the open market and
purchasing whatever they can," said Const. Mark Gallagher of the RCMP
detachment in Moncton, N.B.

"They're known locally here as being fairly large movers and shakers when
it comes to the drug trade."

No drugs were seized when the pair were arrested, but their vehicles were
seized, Gallagher said.

"They have been under surveillance for quite a number of months. . . . We
knew they were going to the Halifax area. And . . . to make sure that we
don't jeopardize the integrity of the investigation, we had to be able to
go down there and arrest them and bring them back to Moncton," he said.

Across Eastern Canada, officers seized 70 kilograms of high-quality of
cocaine, 35.5 kilograms of high-grade B.C. marijuana worth about $234,000,
5,300 hits of ecstasy worth about $150,000, $166,000 in cash as well as
other drugs and valuables, including over $1 million in property, Gallagher
said.

He said in excess of $1 million in drugs and cash were seized in the
Moncton raids.

He said those arrested face charges of conspiracy to traffic in cocaine,
ecstasy and marijuana. He said there also will be charges of conspiracy to
launder the proceeds of crime.

The 12 arrested in Moncton include two women and six men from the local
area, as well as four men from Vancouver.

"Investigators believe they have dismantled an elaborate, countrywide drug
distribution network spanning the provinces of British Columbia, Quebec,
New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland,"
Gallagher said.

"Two separate sources for illicit narcotics were used by the Moncton men to
access large quantities of cocaine, ecstasy and high grade B.C. marijuana
for resale in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and P.E.I."

He said the Quebec City chapter of the Hells Angels organized the
distribution of narcotics in the Atlantic provinces, with the assistance of
its "puppet club," the Damners, a biker gang based in northern New Brunswick.

He said that at least in the short term, there should be fewer drugs in the
Maritimes.