Since the onslaught of kidnappings, torture, arsons and rebellion the Quebec City Hells Angels MC faced from the Blood Family Mafia and independent dealers across Northeastern Quebec at the turn of the year, thunder is roaring down on many chapters across the province nowadays. Some people even criticized how the authorities weren’t cracking down on the Motorcycle Club during the notorious Projet SCANDALEUX which was aimed to tackle the drug war happening in Quebec City and its surrounding regions. The operation yielded 36 arrests, all on the Blood Family Mafia side of the conflict. Within the development of the last few months, chapters all across the province of Quebec are facing flack from authorities.
The squeeze from authorities has since tightened, with an investigation probing the arrest of the Quebec City’s chapter Mario ‘Banane’ Auger, Marco ‘Marc’ Roberge and Christian ‘Cricri’ Boucher stemming from an investigation established long before the Quebec City chapter war with the now infamous street gang. This was an operation set forth by a task force formed by the SPVQ (Quebec City Police), SPVL (Levis Police Service) and SQ (Quebec Provincial Police) which had started in 2021. The charges laid were mostly related to drug trafficking, or charges related to drug trafficking. In the sweep, Red Devils MC members Guy St-Laurent and Frederick Lefebvre were arrested as well as a dozen other suspects linked to the operation. The arrests happened throughout the month of March 2024.
Then, there was the shootout at the Red Devils MC clubhouse during the first ‘Mandatory Run’ of the year for the HAMC and support clubs in Quebec. The Red Devils MC are one of the most prestigious puppet clubs for the Hells Angels MC, especially throughout the provinces of Quebec and Ontario. Their Frampton clubhouse was targeted during their first ‘Mandatory Run’.
On the 4th of May, while the majority of MC members were out riding on their ‘First Run’ of the year, the Blood Family Mafia had sent members to the Red Devils MC clubhouse in hopes to burn it down. Equipped with jerry cans to carry gasoline and pistols for security, the two members made their way. Upon their arrival, two prospects were guarding the clubhouse which was under surveillance at the time. A shootout occurred between the two groups resulting in both prospects getting shot but surviving the coup. All the while the opposing street gang set a 100K hit on Mario ‘Banane’ Auger’s head as well as Marco ‘Marc’ Roberge’s head.
More unfortunate events were set forth by authorities and the very end of May 2024 when they decided to raid the South Chapter of the Hells Angels MC clubhouse. The clubhouse located on 4th Rang North, in Saint-Charles-sur-Richelieu in the region of Monteregie was victim to a helicopter hovering over it as well as the forces of Quebec’s Tactical Intervention Group (GTI, Groupe Tacticale de Intervention), which included two armored trucks and multiple K9’s. This operation took place on the 30th of May, 2024.
As we mentioned, the HAMC hasn’t faced this much flack from authorities since 2009, when Operation SharQc was taking place, nearly 15 years later. This crackdown was considered the 3rd phase of ‘Project Realign’ set for by the Quebec Provincial Police, with the first phase taking place on the 1st of May 2024, in Chambly and Marieville, and the 2nd taking place of the 22nd of May, 2024 in Beloeil, McMasterville, St-Bruno-de-Montarville and Saint-Basile-le-Grand.
The Hells Angels MC stood side-by-side with their puppet club; the Demons Choice MC during the crackdown of the South Chapter. Veteran HAMC member Michel ‘Sky’ Langlois, 77 years of age, was deemed as one of the heads of the operation, as well as Salvatore ‘La Barbe’ Cazzetta, founder of the Rock Machine, and later president of the Quebec charter of the Hells Angels MC, and Michel ‘Guert’ Guertin. Once again, drug trafficking and other charges relating to that were the majority of the charges handed out.
Although this is the first major crackdown since 2009, this will be the second time in which the Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu clubhouse will have been raided. The first happening in March of 2018. At the time, the clubhouse belonged to Richard Dion-Lecompte, whose son was a member of the South Chapter of the HAMC, Robert Lecompte. The father and owner of the establishment was charged with illegal possession of alcohol. 600 illegal bottles of wine were found all stamped with Hells Angels logos.
In March of 2023, the South chapter of the HAMC had celebrated their 26th anniversary at the Imperia Hotel & Suites in Boucherville located only 45 minutes away from the island of Montreal. Only a few months prior, the province of Quebec celebrated their 46th anniversary since the HAMC had made a touchdown in the country of Canada, with the first chapter being formed on the 5th of December, 1977.
The South chapter of the Hells Angels in Quebec were formed in 1997, on the first of March. Michel ‘Sky’ Langlois along with Normand ‘Dog’ Labelle had parted ways with the Montreal chapter to form the South chapter. Labelle became the first president of the South chapter when it was established. Their first clubhouse was in Saint-Basile-le-Grand, located on Rue Alvarez.
The clubhouse would then become the government’s property in October of 2006 and a project authorities’ had dubbed ‘Operation South’ which had started in February of 2004. The operation required around 400 police officers throughout 33 different municipalities. The HAMC had listed the residence up for sale for 280,000$, but inevitably the government had seized it before it was sold.
Without a home, the South chapter had decided to move on, and make another clubhouse in Old Longueuil on Rue Vercheres. This clubhouse had only lasted a few years. With ‘Operation SharQc’ coming in hot, it was only a matter of time before members packed their bags and set forth to make another clubhouse. This one being the current one on the 4th Rang North. The Longueuil clubhouse was demolished in 2012.
The 4th and most recent phase of ‘Project Realign’ came on the 12th of June, 2024, only weeks after the search and seizure of the HAMC South chapter clubhouse. It took place in the towns of Beloeil, Saint-Jean-Baptiste and Mont-Saint-Hilaire. Once again we saw Salvatore ‘La Barbe’ Cazzetta and Michel ‘Sky’ Langlois in handcuffs during the operation.
Another Hells Angels comes into play for this article, his name is Bernard ‘Ben’ Plourde, a member of the Trois-Rivieres chapter of the province. The reason why this biker is so prominent in this story is the fact that now-fugitive All Boivin was tightly knit to Plourde, possibly being his right-hand man in the region of Saguenay in the past. Times have changed and Boivin decided to turn the tables against the Motorcycle Club at the start of the drug war between the club and the Blood Family Mafia street gang and independent dealers siding with BFM.
Boivin switching sides had not come at a free price, a 100,000$ hit had been placed on his head since. The only trouble with the hit is the fact that he is a fugitive, with not only criminal organizations looking for him, but authorities also. During a police crackdown in February of 2018, Plourde had admitted to being a key figure in the drug-running in the region of Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean during ‘Projet Nocif’ brought on by the SQ. He was sentenced to 7 years, but with time spent, only 45 months were left on his sentence. He was liberated in April of 2023, at the age of 60.
The Chicoutimi native had then broke his parole, regaining contact with individuals connected to organized crime. The parole board had justified how he was a danger to society and that the recent conflict between the biker gangs and the Blood Family Mafia might spark some incidents. Plourde testifies that he will be part of the HAMC until he dies. Already a 25 year veteran of the club, the parole board had already took their decision.
So what lies for the future of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club in Quebec? Another major turf war between the HAMC and the Blood Family Mafia, whom has ties to multiple other street gangs throughout the province? Only god knows. One thing is for sure, is the fact that they are tested every day in result to this drug war, they no longer rule the province with an iron fist, and are losing support fast. The only question that lies, is what actions will they take to protect their standing?
