Hells Angels MC re-established in Canada

Halifax, Nova Scotia (December 21, 2018) BTN — The Hells Angels have re-established an evolving presence in Atlantic Canada, although experts say they have not expanded their roster of full-patch members since first reappearing in the region more than two years ago.

Police and organized crime experts say it's not clear why the country's most powerful motorcycle club has not found any local prospects worthy of full membership, but confirm the Angels are retrenching after their former Halifax chapter was smashed by police in 2001.

Stephen Schneider, a criminology professor at Saint Mary's University who has written extensively on organized crime, believes the establishment of a new puppet club in the last year -- the Red Devils -- is a significant sign of intent.

"The Red Devils is pretty much their sort of AAA affiliate club internationally," said Schneider. "So this is a signal that the Hells Angels have not given up and that they are really serious about their presence in Atlantic Canada."

The Red Devils have set up chapters in Moncton, N.B., and in Halifax.

The members of the Halifax Red Devils chapter, which was set up in July, were recruited from two other motorcycle clubs, the Gatekeepers and the Darksiders, according to RCMP Staff Sgt. Guylaine Cottreau of the Criminal Intelligence Service Nova Scotia.

"They were known to the Hells Angels and they came from the already existing support clubs," said Cottreau. "We have no Hells Angels prospects ... but they still have a good footprint in the province with their support clubs."

Cottreau said there had been a Nova Scotia prospects chapter, but it fell below six members this fall, and they've since become prospects for the Hells Angels in New Brunswick, where a Hells Angels Nomads club includes some full patch members that were transplanted to that province.

She said in addition to the Red Devils, Nova Scotia has a series of other motorcycle clubs, including Darksiders clubs in Dartmouth and the Annapolis Valley, Sedition clubs in Fall River and Weymouth, and Highlanders clubs in Antigonish, Pictou County, and Cape Breton.

Experts believe the Angels are looking to expand territory and crack the drug trade in a region with several thousand kilometres of coastline, which makes it easier to import drugs.

The only so-called group of one percenters -- the elite outlaw bikers -- in Nova Scotia is the Bacchus Motorcycle Club, which appears to have reached a detente region-wide with the Angels. It was also declared a criminal organization in a July ruling by a Nova Scotia Supreme Court judge -- a move that has the potential to put a damper on its activities because it establishes tougher sentencing for crimes carried out to benefit the club.

Meanwhile, a traditional rival group for the Hells Angels, the Outlaws, has also pushed into the region with support clubs known as the Black Pistons in Fredericton and in Sydney, N.S., where they set up shop earlier this year.

The Outlaws and Bacchus also operate in Newfoundland, along with several Hells Angels support clubs.

"Right now it is peaceful, however they (Outlaws MC) are the main rival group to the Hells Angels so there is potential there (for violence)," Cottreau said.

Schneider said he finds it surprising that the Outlaws MC are trying to move into Atlantic Canada after failing to emerge as a significant threat to the Hells Angels in Ontario. "They have chutzpah I'll give them that," Schneider said. "They are still in there battling and trying to establish territory."

In Prince Edward Island there are two Bacchus club chapters and one affiliate chapter of the Hells Angels motorcycle club. RCMP Cpl. Andy Cook said the Hells Angels are down to six prospect members from 10 in P.E.I. and none of the bikers are full-patch. He said stepped up police enforcement likely led to some members leaving the club.

"Some of the incidents were probably not very attractive to the Hells Angels who are frequently trying to portray themselves in a positive light in the media," he said.

While it's believed the Port of Halifax is the main prize coveted by the Angels, police say they're not aware of any activity there. Schneider, who recently completed a study for the federal government on organized crime in marine ports, said he hasn't seen any direct evidence either.

"I didn't see any known Hells Angels members working on the docks in Halifax, but that's not saying they aren't, or there aren't associates," he said.

Schneider said the Angels' influence has suffered setbacks through police enforcement actions such as the arrest in July of prominent New Brunswick member Emery Martin on 10 drug-related offences. However he believes it was the success of a crackdown years before against the motorcycle club in Quebec that has had the most impact.

In April 2009, Operation SharQc resulted in 156 arrests and the closure of several of the biker gang's clubhouses, however many of the court cases eventually fell through and Schneider said the Hells Angels have seen a resurgence in Quebec that has implications for the Atlantic region.

"They are in a better position to help Atlantic Canada establish chapters and puppet clubs. Having the Red Devils set up in Moncton is significant because they are a Tier 1 puppet group that has long been associated with the Montreal chapter of the Hells Angels."

Cottreau said police are aware of the emerging threat and observed a Quebec Hells Angels presence in the region over the summer.

She said police will move to enforce the law against the Angels where and when they can.

"We are trying to disrupt and dismantle them but it is a big task. They are a pretty well established organization."

SOURCE: CTV News

Police limit hours at bar due to fights

Cape Coral, Fla. (December 20, 2018) BTN — The Cape Coral Police Department has suspended the extended hours permit of Dixie Roadhouse after about 40 patrons leaving the bar started fighting in the parking lot across the street earlier this month.

Bike Night at Dixie Roadhouse in Cape Coral, Florida 

Master Sgt. Allan Kolak, the department's public affairs officer, said via email that shortly before 3 a.m. Dec. 8, the patrons got into an altercation and yelled gang-affiliated comments. Police determined they were related to a Fort Myers-based motorcycle club that is on the U.S. Attorney's Most Violent Offender List.

He said officers observed members of both the "Eternals" and the "Outlaws" motorcycle clubs leaving Dixie Roadhouse about the time of the altercation.

"Officers called for backup and all south units responded to the scene, totaling 13 police officers," Kolak said. "The necessary allocation of police personnel required by this violent activity compromised the police protection for the remaining south district for approximately one hour."

According to an officer narrative report from the incident, some people who were fighting were detained in handcuffs but released after the situation calmed down. No one cooperated with the investigation, the report said.

Police Chief David Newlan suspended the permit on Wednesday, Dec. 12, but the decision to revoke the permit stems from an "increasing threat to the public health, safety and welfare" posed by Dixie Roadhouse, Kolak said.

He said officers have reported an increase in motorcycle club members patronizing Dixie, and there were six incidents in September concerning intoxicated patrons. Among those, he said two patrons were found passed out, one in the bar and the other in a nearby public parking lot; and two patrons were arrested as a result of DUI incidents, one of which resulted in a DUI-related vehicle crash.

Kolak said Dixie staff "failed or refused to take reasonable precautions to discourage unlawful activity including, but not limited to, disturbances and vehicular use by intoxicated patrons." The police chief recommended prohibiting motorcycle club colors at Dixie, but Kolak said the recommendation was ignored.

"Chief Newlan has discussed, several times, the need for this establishment to impress on its employee's responsible hospitality industry practices concerning both the welfare of intoxicated patrons and the need to refuse to serve persons who are or are in danger of becoming intoxicated,"  There has not been any appreciable improvement in the management of these practices.

A Dixie Roadhouse manager was not available Wednesday afternoon.

Cape Coral issued the extended hours permit to Dixie Roadhouse in April, after City Council passed an ordinance to extend bar hours to 3 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday mornings in the city's CRA district, which includes businesses along Cape Coral Parkway East and SE 47th Terrace. Bars previously had to close by 2 a.m.

Proponents of the ordinance, which passed 7-1, argued the extended hours would attract more people to the Cape and show local businesses that the city supports them. Newlan said during the city council meeting in March that the city's previous trial with 4 a.m. hours showed an increases in service calls.

"When you bring in a larger crowd down to an area, you've got to expect there's going to be an uptick in calls for service and/or crime," Newlan said at the March meeting. "It's going to happen."

The News-Press previously reported that Dixie Roadhouse was deriving the greatest benefit from a previous extended bar hours trial in the city. Police said that two other businesses, BaackStreets Sports Bar and Remixx Lounge, currently use their extended hour permits.

SOURCE: ABC 7

Undercover cops drinks bought by city

Pittsburgh, PA (December 20, 2018) BTN — A night of binge drinking by four undercover Pittsburgh police detectives that ended with a bar fight on the South Side of Pittsburgh were all paid for with city money, news channels have confirmed.

Video still of the Bar fight at Kopy's Bar

The owner of Kopy's Bar told news reporters that the officers had been drinking in the establishment for several hours before a few members of the Pagans motorcycle club walked in a little before midnight. About an hour later, words were exchanged between a couple of the Pagans MC members and the drunk cops when the fight broke out.

All four officers involved have been reassigned and the charges that were initially brought against the Pagans have been dropped.

SOURCE: WXPI News

The Biker Trash Network as been covering this story from the beginning and timeline stories are below.

  

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Police arrest more from Outlaw MC raid

Brockville, Canada (December 20, 2018) BTN — Brockville Police have arrested a fourth man in connection with two motorcycle club raids in the city earlier this month. Officers arrested the 30-year-old man on Tuesday “in relation to the investigation,” police reported Wednesday.

Police, who had not released the latest accused’s name as of Wednesday afternoon, held him in custody pending a bail hearing on the same charges laid on the three earlier accused, including kidnapping and assault with a weapon.

Confiscated items from the motorcycle club raids in Brockville, Canada

The latest arrest relates to two search warrants carried out on Dec. 6 by the Brockville Police Service, with the help of the Ontario Provincial Police Biker Enforcement Unit, the Belleville Police Service and Kingston Police Service.

 Related | Police arrest three connected to the Outlaws MC

The Joint Forces Team raided two Brockville residences, at 283 Park Street and Apartment 17 at 16 Cartier Court, in relation to the Outlaws Motorcycle Club and an Outlaws support club, the Dead Eyes Motorcycle Club.

During those raids, officers seized a number of items, including Dead Eyes Outlaw Motorcycle Club vests, clothing and related paraphernalia; documents supporting involvement in a criminal organization; a small quantity of cocaine; cellphones; clothing “worn during commission of offences”; and a 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix.

Thomas Bell, Norman Cranshaw Rosbottom and his son, Norman Stanley Rosbottom, were charged in connection with crimes that began in March, police noted. The charges include kidnapping, robbery, assault with a weapon, assault, and two separate offences relating to organized crime groups, said police.

City police say they have been aware of the Outlaws MC in the area for nearly two years, but there has been a “drastic increase” in their activity over the past summer. The twin raids Dec. 6 were the city police force’s second motorcycle club operation this fall.

In September, police arrested two people in connection with drug and weapons offences with motorcycle club links following a raid at 21 Sevenoaks Avenue in Brockville. Four other people were initially sought after that raid, one of whom later turned himself in in Kingston. Two of the remaining suspects turned themselves in to Brockville police, while the other also did so in Kingston.

Police Chief Scott Fraser said Wednesday he does not believe any further arrests are pending in connection with the December operation. While such arrests might put a dent in criminal organizations, it would be naive to expect the gang activity to stop, added the chief.

“As long as they keep committing criminal offences, we’ll keep arresting them and locking them up, or at least charging them,” said Fraser.

Police said earlier this month the club activity does not usually put at risk members of the public who are not in some way involved with drugs. “Generally, it’s not a random victimization,” Fraser added Wednesday.

“People who become victims are generally involved with them.” Still, the chief urged members of the public to report any suspicious activity to police.

 SOURCE: The Recorder and Times

Bandidos chapters remain legal

The Hague, Netherlands (December 19, 2018) BTN — The national chapter of a motorcycle club was correctly banned by a lower court two years ago, but the local branches of the club can remain, appeal court judges said on Tuesday.

Bandidos Motorcycle Club (BMC) Europa and the Dutch organisation Bandidos Motorcycle Club Holland had gone to court to appeal against a Utrecht court decision to ban their organisations two years ago. In that ruling, judges banned the motorcycle club with immediate effect in order to ‘halt behaviour which could disrupt society’. 

The appeal court judges upheld the ban on the national organisation but said the ruling ‘does not apply to other, independent Bandidos chapters in the Netherlands because the public prosecution request was not directed at this.’ 

The group’s lawyer Marnix van der Werf said on Tuesday that the appeal court ruling was a victory for the group. ‘Nothing has changed and the individual Bandidos clubs remain legal,’ he said. ‘People from the various clubs have ‘Holland’ on the back of their jackets but Bandidos Holland is not a real association.’

Sittard 

The organisation has been operating in the Netherlands since 2014 and has chapters in Sittard, Nijmegen and Utrecht. The public prosecution department began trying to have motorcycle clubs banned in 2007 using criminal law, but that backfired after the Supreme Court ruled in 2009 that the department had failed to properly establish that the Hells Angels formed a criminal association. 

In September, the public prosecution department has asked judges in Assen to ban the motorcycle club No Surrender, arguing that the group is an outlaw gang and involved in drugs and other crime.

SOURCE: Dutch News