New evidence shows that Gang members shoot their victims at close range an often deadlier method than drive-by shootings.

New evidence shows that Gang members shoot their victims at close range – an often deadlier method than drive-by shootings.San Diego police gang Lt. Jorge Duran said the fatal gang attacks last year – up 55 percent from 2006 – prompted an aggressive police response. It included adding officers to the gang unit and working closely with other agencies on large operations.The surge has helped keep gang homicides in the city down so far this year.“We've been successful at targeting the more violent gang members and locking them up,” Duran said.The SANDAG study also shows that homicide victims tended to be older last year. The number of victims ages 25 to 39 spiked to 42 percent, an 18 percent increase. Researchers say there are no other data to explain the reason behind the increase.Other trends worth noting:
More than 25 percent of female rape victims were younger than 18.
Children and young teens were suspects in one-third of robberies.
83 percent of homicide victims were men.Young black and Latino males are at greatest risk of becoming victims of homicide, robbery and assault.
Sandy Keaton, senior criminal justice research analyst for SANDAG, said it's important to know which groups are being victimized and by whom.“For law enforcement, it's important in forming their tactics,” Keaton said. “And for the community at large, it's examining who's at risk, why they are at risk, and how can we take some steps to prevent this for our youth?”

Gangland football Second division club Mapaches de Nueva Italia could be financed by the ruthless Gulf cartel

Second division club Mapaches de Nueva Italia, based in the western state of Michoacan, could be financed by the ruthless Gulf cartel from the Gulf of Mexico or by an emerging gang called The Family, possibly for money laundering purposes.
"We have made seven arrests of club directors and players, all Mapaches," said a federal official who declined to be named. The arrests followed a police raid on the team after a game in Mexico City.
The official declined to give more details about the investigation but Michoacan state has been at the center of Mexico's gruesome drug war as rival cartels fight over smuggling routes for cocaine and marijuana and the army tries to stop spiraling violence.In September, drug gangs threw grenades into the central square of Michoacan's capital Morelia as revelers celebrated Independence Day, the first major strike by drug cartels on the public.

HMP Whitemoor Muslim prison gangs are trying to force other inmates to sign up to Islamic radicalism

Muslim prison gangs are trying to force other inmates to sign up to Islamic radicalism, prison officers said.Extremists at high security HMP Whitemoor in Cambridgeshire were pushing a "strict and extreme" interpretation of Islamic practice, inspectors were told.Chief Inspector of Prisons Anne Owers said: "There was a perception among officers that some Muslim prisoners operated as a gang and put pressures on non-Muslim prisoners to convert, and on other Muslim prisoners to conform to a strict and extreme interpretation of Islamic practice."She found staff were reluctant to tackle "inappropriate behaviour" and was told Muslim prisoners were able to "police themselves".She was told: "The new gang are the Muslims. The Muslim group is a big group and others are looking for protection. Those who are isolated are looking for protection and so are the ones converting as they won't get help from screws."Earlier this week an EU-commissioned report warned urgent action was required to stop brainwashing by jailed extremists.Dr Peter Neumann from King's College London said governments across Europe should observe prisons more closely in the future as they were likely to become "major hubs" for terrorist recruitment. He suggested creating "jihadist prisons" in which to isolate Islamist militants.Phil Wheatley, Director General of the National Offender Management Service, said: "The Chief Inspector is right to highlight the challenges and risks Whitemoor is facing. It is also important to recognise the action being taken to manage challenging prisoner profiles."A more sophisticated approach to addressing bullying and the management of bullies and their victims is now in place and is bringing improvements."Work to improve the relationships between staff and prisoners is a priority and measures have been implemented to tackle this, including training to develop staff understanding of the growing Muslim population."

Bandidos bikie gang was killed when he was thrown from his motorcycle in Melbourne.

Sydney member of the Bandidos bikie gang was killed when he was thrown from his motorcycle in Melbourne.The 47-year-old man was exiting the Hume Highway on to the Western Ring Rd in Melbourne's outer north about 2.40pm when he lost control of his machine, police said. He hit the curb and struck a guard rail, the impact throwing him from the bike, which continued on about 400m down the road, police said.
The man died at the scene. Police spoke to other members of the bikie gang who arrived at the scene shortly after the collision. The death takes Victoria's road toll to 245, two more than at the same time last year.

VIP escort for Bandidos bikie gang

More than 200 members of the Bandidos bikie gang will descend on Melbourne this afternoon.Police have been told to "facilitate" the bikies as they ride in convoy from Geelong to the CBD.
The Bandidos will be given a police escort and traffic will be stopped so they can enjoy an uninterrupted run. Once in town, they are expected to hit pubs and strip clubs during their annual national run. "It really is a party," said one Bandidos member. Bikies from interstate and overseas are expected to join the run up the Princes Highway. The order from police command has outraged police already livid over what they say is a soft approach to bikie gangs. Officers will be drawn from regions already struggling to contain crime to monitor the gang from tonight until Monday. Police will devote 395 individual shifts to the operation, including traffic management units, general duties officers and brawler vans. "This operation will be sucking up a lot of manpower at peak trouble times," one officer said.
Senior Sergeant Greg Davies of the Police Association said city police were already struggling to cope with drunken violence. "Clearly, we do not have the current frontline capacity to prevent Melburnians being injured on an average weekend in the CBD," Sen-Sgt Davies said. "We just hope our members will be deployed in sufficient numbers to protect themselves and the community at large. "We've got to be confident the force has used all of its intelligence gathering and has planned for this. If there have been any slip-ups along the way then this has the potential to make Attila the Hun's foray into Europe look like an end-of-season footy trip." A spokeswoman for Victoria Police said force command had contingencies in place for the run. "Victoria Police has a number of strategies in place to minimise traffic disruption and will continue to seek to provide a safe and orderly environment for the Victorian community," she said

Member of the Hells Angels AK81 support group was beaten with a baseball bat.

Police arrested 14 people in various parts of the country yesterday in connection with the ongoing battle between bikers and immigrant gangs.
The trouble started in Odense where a member of the Hells Angels AK81 support group was beaten with a baseball bat. Two members of an immigrant gang were later detained. Shortly afterwards a police patrol stopped and searched a car in which five biker-related men were travelling. Ammunition was found in the vehicle, but no guns. That discovery caused police to search the Hells Angels clubhouse in the area where more ammunition was found, but no weapons. A member of the Hells Angels was arrested. At one point, police were tipped off that the Hells Angels had called in reinforcements. Patrols stopped a vehicle containing four members of the AK81 group on their way from Randers, but the four were released as nothing illegal was found in the car. Two others were arrested in Odense, one of whom was carrying a knife.

Members of the Fruit Town Brims and Milltown Mafia were arrested

Members of the Fruit Town Brims and Milltown Mafia were arrested in a months-long operation conducted jointly by law enforcement agencies at the city, county and state level.Salem County Prosecutor John Lenahan said 49 people were arrested in the city of Salem and adjacent Quinton Township on Tuesday alone. During those raids, he added, police seized five cars, almost $9,000 in cash, more than $1,500 in cocaine and marijuana and two weapons.According to a news release issued by Lenahan’s office, Tuesday’s arrests and seizures capped a 4-month investigation that yielded almost 200 arrests of gang members or their associates.

Derry based 'drug gang' that they have seven days to 'forward themselves to the republican movement or face execution on sight.'

Dissident republican group, the Real IRA, have warned what they describe as a Derry based 'drug gang' that they have seven days to 'forward themselves to the republican movement or face execution on sight.' The chilling warning came in a claim of responsibility for last week’s shooting of a Derry man, Declan Gallagher, in Donegal.
Stating that Mr. Gallagher has ‘24 hours to leave the country’ the dissident group stated: “If he refuses volunteers will be instructed to execute this man on sight.”
The dissident group made serious allegations against Mr. Gallagher stating that he was the leader of ‘an organised gang importing hard drugs into Derry City on behalf of loyalist drug lords.”The statement added: “Oglaigh Na hEireann has smashed this gang and sends a clear and decisive warning to others who operate in the knowledge that they could be next. They added ‘we reiterate the seriousness of this threat.’
The statement concluded: “Oglaigh Na hEireann has shown that it is committed to eradicating drug gangs in this city, we are now armed and well organised.”
Declan Gallagher was wounded last week in a shooting near St. Johnston. A female passenger in the car with him at the time was briefly abducted and released a short time later. The Gardai said after the shooting that they were still investigating a motive for the attack.This is the latest claim from the Real IRA accusing a shooting victim of being involved in drugs. Earlier this year they claimed responsibility for the shooting of a man in Creggan and he too was warned to leave the city.

Jimmy (Grover) Lee was gunned down in his north Surrey home about 6:15 p.m. Tuesday and two gangsters in Prince George were found dead

Jimmy (Grover) Lee was gunned down in his north Surrey home about 6:15 p.m. Tuesday and two gangsters in Prince George were found dead in a suspected double homicide there.Insp. Brian Cantera said the targeted hits in both places appear to be the usual disputes among those in the criminal underworld.These are gang and drug related homicides," Cantera said in an interview. "They are specific to those individuals involved in the criminal element who are jockeying for positions in the mid-level illicit drug trade for the most part."Solicitor-General John van Dongen said stemming the gang violence is his number-one priority."We recognize that organized crime and gun violence is spreading from the Lower Mainland to places like Kelowna and Prince George," van Dongen said. "That's why we do try to have these integrated police teams working cooperatively to pursue these investigations."
Lee's dumpy rented residence at 10928 Timberland Road in Surrey was a crack shack from which he sold crystal meth and other drugs, as well as used tires and wheels, several friends told The Vancouver Sun.Lee had connections to the Red Scorpions gang that controls the meth and crack trade in that part of Surrey, the friends said.
Surrey RCMP Sgt. Roger Morrow said the 33-year-old victim and the residence were well-known to police. Lee was involved in a dispute with another crack shack operator who was shot and wounded Aug. 26 at 108 Ave. and King George in Surrey. And he had regular run-ins with nearby businesses upset that he was selling auto parts without a licence, including some that were stolen.Prince George RCMP Const. Gary Godwin said investigators there are still working to confirm the identity of the two murder victims found in a house in the 2300-block of Webber Crescent.
But he confirmed the house was raided by police Sept. 12 and that three illegal guns - including two semi-automatic weapons - were seized. Five people were arrested.
The northern hub city has struggled with an increase in gang activity over the last few years with Hells Angel puppet clubs - like the Renegades and the Crew - challenged for turf by the Independent Soldiers, a gang that originated in south Vancouver."All of our recent murders, shootings, beatings and tortures have been gang-related," Godwin said.The three murders come just five days after a brazen gangland slaying in the parking lot of Vancouver's busy Oakridge Mall. The victim, Rakesh Ratnam Naidu, had a long history in the criminal underworld and was associated with two other recently killed gangsters - James Edward O'Toole and Tommy Ho Sing Chan. Another gangster linked to the Independent Soldiers, Jody Archie York, had his million-dollar house in Langley shot up Monday night.Van Dongen said the gangs appear to be getting more cocky with their very public shootings. "This kind of gun violence and this kind of attitude did not exist 10 to 20 years ago," van Dongen said. "They are becoming more brazen."Cantera said some gangsters think they are immune from prosecution in B.C.

"I have had some of those comments made to me in the past by some in the criminal world," he said.

Cantera said police resources are often tied up preparing for the court process, which is much more complicated and labour-intensive than it once was because of the prosecution's obligation to disclose everything to the defence.

"It is complicated law. It is extensive disclosure. Those are creating situations that are really allowing the criminal element to flourish here," Cantera said.

And while the shootings and slayings continue, Cantera said the public has to remember that the attacks are targeted.

"The majority of what we are seeing are not random acts of violence. These are targeted squabbles that these individuals are trying to sort out, trying to vie for a position in the drug underworld," he said.

kbolan@vancouversun.com

Manuel Martin, 30, of Venice.was found in an embankment off the freeway near his motorcycle after a report of multiple shots being fired about 2 a.m.,

A man riding alongside Manuel Martin 30, of Venice was wearing a T-shirt bearing the insignia of the Mongols motorcycle gang, Glendale police Sgt. Tom Lorenz said. Police did not know if Martin belonged to the Mongols, Lorenz said. The Montebello-based gang has several chapters in California and has recently been feuding with the Hells Angels motorcycle gang, authorities said. "We won't be able to make any determination as to whether he was a member of an outlaw motorcycle gang," he said. "We don't know if he was targeted. We don't know if this was a road-rage incident." The freeway was shut down from about 4 a.m. to 1 p.m. and traffic was jammed on side streets as homicide and coroner's investigators searched the scene. The traffic jam reached as far east as Arcadia and west through Glendale.
Martin was found in an embankment off the freeway near his motorcycle after a report of multiple shots being fired about 2 a.m., according to Glendale Police Sgt. Tom Lorenz. Coroners have not determined if he died from the bullet wound to his chest or from injuries sustained after falling from his motorcycle. Lorenz noted that the incident happened after most establishments close, and he said detectives are trying to determine where the two bikers were before getting on the freeway.
"This obviously started somewhere else and it culminated on the freeway while they were riding," he said. The feud between the Mongols and the Hells Angels, recently has erupted in violence. A series of pipe bombs exploded outside of the home of a leader of the San Jose chapter of the Mongols last month. Police suspect the attack, in which no one was injured, was the work of the Hells Angels. Also last month, the president of the San Francisco Hells Angels chapter, Mark "Papa" Guardado, 46, was shot and killed outside a San Francisco bar by a Mongol from Modesto.
Tim McKinley, an expert in biker gangs who retired from the FBI in 2002, said the feud has raged for over a decade.
"Its just game-on between the two groups and it has been for quite a while now," he said. "They're in a gang war." The war has continued over territorial issues and reached its most violent point in 2002 when a fight broke out in a casino that ended with the deaths of two Hells Angels and one Mongol.

Jason Turner,and Tyreek Simmons,Bloods street gang members alleged cocaine sales to an undercover officer

Jason Turner, 27, of Asbury Avenue and Tyreek Simmons, 22, of Prospect Avenue with one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine in Asbury Park on March 6.The alleged conspiracy carries a maximum prison term of 10 years, upon conviction.In addition, the indictment charges Turner with 60 additional drug offenses related to a series of 15 alleged cocaine sales to an undercover officer between July 5, 2007, and March 6.Each of the alleged sales occurred within 1,000 feet of Mount Carmel School in Asbury Park, the indictment said.For each of the 15 alleged sales, Turner is charged with cocaine possession, possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute it, distribution of cocaine and distribution of cocaine within 1,000 feet of the school.
Of the 60 alleged drug offenses, 58 of them carry maximum prison terms of five years upon convictions. Two of the counts allege that Turner possessed and distributed an aggregate amount of cocaine in excess of a half-ounce between July 5, 2007, and March 6. Because of the amount of cocaine involved, those offenses each carry maximum prison terms of 10 years, upon conviction.Turner and Simmons were among 40 people arrested in early March following what Prosecutor Luis A. Valentin said was "a lengthy investigation by the county's gang task force into drug distribution activities by members and associates of the Bloods street gang."

Mexican Gangs bodies cut up ,dumped in acid. Victims are stripped naked ,hung from bridges. Others have their tongues cut out before being murdered

Bodies are cut up and dumped in acid. Victims are stripped naked and hung from bridges. Others have their tongues cut out before being murdered -- Mexican gangs are using horrifying methods to outdo each other in an already harrowing drugs war.
Drug cartel hitmen have massacred some 70 people in the past 10 days in Tijuana on the U.S.-Mexico border, once a freewheeling city serving Americans tequila, cheap medicines and sex that is being devastated by the war.Mexico's government says most of the recent victims belonged to Tijuana's Arellano Felix family cartel that won notoriety in the 1990s for smuggling tons of cocaine into California and for its ruthless elimination of enemies.But it has been weakened in recent years with former leaders killed or arrested, and other cartels are moving in to take control of the drugs trade in Tijuana and throughout the border state of Baja California.
"The Arellano Felix cartel no longer has control of drug trafficking in Tijuana, rival gangs are coming into the plaza," said Baja California's police chief, Daniel de la Rosa.In one of the nastiest mass executions in the city, hitmen dumped 16 bodies across Tijuana, some with their tongues cut out, late last month. Days later, police found a barrel suspected of containing human remains in acid with a message from a gang threatening to make more "soup" of rivals.Since the drug war exploded in 2006, Tijuana has become one of Mexico's most violence cities.President Felipe Calderon has deployed thousands of troops in the city, which lies across the border from San Diego, but they have not stopped the killings and he is bogged down in a search for new strategies to halt the relentless violence across Mexico.

Hells Angels associate Sean Michael Heickert is charged with first-degree murder

Hells Angels associate Sean Michael Heickert one of two men wounded in a gang-related shooting in Thompson in August is charged with first-degree murder, RCMP said. Mounties have arrested and charged a Sean Michael Heickert in the murder of gang leader Bekim Zeneli, who was shot to death almost 10 months ago. RCMP said additional arrests are possible. It's believed Heickert was targeted in the shooting for his alleged involvement in the murder of Zeneli, 33. No one has been arrested. Zeneli, who co-founded the LHS street gang with his brother Mohammed, was found dead in an apartment in Thompson on Dec. 7, 2007.
At one time, LHS -- standing for "Loyalty, Honour, Silence" -- was aligned with the Hells Angels. There has been increasing violence in Thompson in the last year or two due to a power struggle over the drug trade in northern Manitoba. Heickert was taken into custody for questioning shortly after the homicide but was released without charge last December. Heickert was arrested by RCMP this week. He remains in custody. Last year, Heickert was the target of a murder plot as part of a drug turf war in Thompson. That forced police to pull the plug on Project Drill, a year-long undercover investigation into Hells Angels members and associates, last December. Heickert's brother -- Oshawa, Ont., Hells Angels member James Heickert -- and two other men are charged with conspiring to kill him.

Todd Anthony O'Connor, a former member of the Nomads' outlaw motorcycle gang shot dead

Dead man was named in the media as Sydney underworld identity Todd Anthony O'Connor, a former member of the Nomads' outlaw motorcycle gang.Gangland links are being examined by police after the man was shot in a quiet area of Tempe, in Sydney's south, on Sunday night.He also was said to be a founding member of the Notorious crime gang, which has been linked to the drugs trade in inner-Sydney areas such as Kings Cross and the Oxford Street nightclub district.Police would not confirm the dead man's identity.A spokeswoman for the State Crime Command said Strike Force Colbee had been established to investigate the shooting.The investigation would be headed by detectives from the homicide squad, but would also include the gangs squad and the Middle Eastern organised crime squad, she said.
The gangs squad is charged with investigating outlaw motorcycle gangs.Police rushed to the street in Tempe just before 9pm (AEDT) on Sunday after passers-by saw the critically wounded man staggering along South Street.Officers unsuccessfully tried to revive the man, who was found lying in the middle of road with shotgun wounds to his head and neck

Den Internationale Klub has demanded that the Hells Angels hands over three members of its support group, and provides financial compensation

Den Internationale Klub has demanded that the Hells Angels hands over three members of its support group, and provides financial compensation. Den Internationale Klub’s Leader Danny Abdallah has demanded that the three named members of the AK81 group be handed over for punishment, and that the Hells Angels pays four million kroner in blood money for the death of 19-year-old Osman Nuri Dogan who was killed outside a pizza bar in August. The killing caused a heated armed conflict to erupt between the Hells Angels and immigrant gangs. A member of the AK81 group, which is a support group for the Hells Angels, has been charged with the killing but police have not had enough evidence to have him jailed. “What I’m saying is that we can find a solution. The Hells Angels must hand over the three people who were involved in killing Osman. Over and above that they must pay four million kroner in damages to Osmans family. That is hardly a big sum for a club such as Hells Angels,” Danny Abdallah told B.T. “If you do something like that, you have to pay for it,” he says.

Eva Daley Convicted Of Driving Kids To Gang Murder

Daley, 31, had been charged with first-degree murder but the jury opted for the lesser conviction after deliberating for more than two days. She faces 15 years to life in prison when she is sentenced Nov. 4.Her co-defendant, Heriberto Garcia, was also convicted of second-degree murder for fatally stabbing 13-year-old Jose Cano near a Long Beach skate park in June 2007. Garcia, one of the passengers in Daley's vehicle, is 17 but was tried as an adult.Five other teenagers, including Daley's son, admitted a manslaughter charge in juvenile court and could remain in state custody until age 25. The case of another youth is still pending in juvenile court.
Daley's defense attorney, Javier Ramirez, argued that Daley didn't know what was going to occur when the boys, including her eldest son, piled out of her vehicle at the park. Daley testified last week that she didn't know anyone was killed until she was arrested the next day.Prosecutors said Cano's slaying could have been retaliation for the stabbing of Daley's son about six months earlier or for an incident earlier that night, when gang members threw flares toward at her apartment complex.Deputy District Attorney John Lonergan said Garcia stabbed Cano nine times.
Garcia's attorney, Jack Fuller, told jurors that the prosecution had not proven premeditation and deliberation or intent to kill.Garcia, who faces 15 years to life in prison, is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 28.

Fatal shooting of Mark Guardado. Christopher Ablett, a member of the rival Mongols motorcycle gang, turned himself in

Christopher Ablett, 37, of Modesto, a member of the rival Mongols motorcycle gang, turned himself in on Saturday and is awaiting extradition to San Francisco in connection with the Sept. 2 fatal shooting of Mark Guardado.Suspect in the September slaying of the president of the San Francisco chapter of the Hells Angels surrendered himself to authorities over the weekend in Oklahoma, San Francisco police said today.San Francisco authorities had issued a $5 million warrant for Ablett's arrest. Guardado, 46, was shot dead around 10:30 p.m. outside a bar in San Francisco's Mission District. Police later identified Ablett as the suspect and seized a motorcycle and other evidence at his Modesto home, but could not locate him and urged him to surrender to police.Guardado's funeral in Daly City on Sept. 15 was attended by about 1,000 Hells Angels members and associates.On Sept. 18, explosives detonated in the San Jose driveway of another Mongols member, damaging two parked cars. Authorities could not confirm whether it was an act of retaliation.

Anthony John Austin, a documented member of a Boise street gang, was sentenced toserve 101 months in federal prison

Anthony John Austin, a documented member of a Boise street gang, was sentenced toserve 101 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine andfor using a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
Austin was prosecuted by the Special Assistant United States Attorney hired by the Treasure Valley Partnership under its SAUSA program. Austin's prosecution was also part of Idaho's Project Safe Neighborhoods Anti-Gang Initiative, designed to reduce gun violence in the state." Today's sentencing proves that the Treasure Valley now has an effective tool to combat gang activity," Boise Mayor David Bieter said. "The length of this sentence should send a message to other gang members that this type of activity will not be tolerated in our community."Austin, 27, was indicted on Feb. 13 after an extensive investigation by the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Boise City Police Department's Gang Unit. He pleaded guilty to both crimes in federal court on July 7. He was sentenced on Thursday by U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill at the Federal Courthouse in Boise.Despite Austin's lack of prior felonies, the combination of guns, drugs and gang activity
resulted in the lengthy prison sentence. Federal law mandates a five-year prison sentence when afirearm is used in connection with drug trafficking activities. The five-year term will be servedconsecutively to the drug sentence.

Sylvain says he received about $300,000 for working with the Biker Enforcement Unit

Sylvain says he received about $300,000 for working with the Biker Enforcement Unit in Project Husky, a two-year probe that ended in 2006 and arrested six members, 21 of their associates and shut down an alleged $2.3-million drug distribution network that linked Ontario, Quebec and Alberta. Prison terms ranged from four months to 6 1/2 years for a wide range of offences. Last March, a court ordered the Heron St. clubhouse forfeited to the Crown. "This is a very significant forfeiture," Det.-Insp. Dan Redmond, BEU commander said then in a press release. Thunder Bay Police Chief Robert Herman added the clubhouse had "long been a thorn in our side. Its forfeiture is a good news story for our community and demonstrates our commitment to working with our partners to stop the unlawful activities of outlaw motorcycle gangs." The man who made it happen, Sylvain, has little left after buying vehicles for his work as a driver and says his cover has been blown. Everyone in the small undisclosed town he's living in knows he worked for the police and are too scared to hire him. He turned down the program's last offer to relocate him, covering expenses and $29 a day for six months. "You think I made something? I made (nothing)," he says. He wants a better deal Sylvain was urged to go to police by an ex-girlfriend after he got himself jammed with the Italian mob in Montreal. The rig driver admits to bringing in large loads of cocaine in tractor-trailer shipments from Miami, including one of 200 kilos in the 1990s, sins that police are aware of, he says. He says he was wrongly accused of taking four kilos by his underworld bosses and was beaten savagely. "The first beating I had was just practice," he says.
Sylvain was later targeted with death and while in New Jersey hiding from the mob, he turned to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, who in turn set up a meeting with the RCMP in Miami. What Sylvain wants now since he's too well known in Canada is to move to the U.S., hopefully to work for American law enforcement. But the only recent job offer he got from police was another attempt at the Hells in Canada, who now know what he looks like. "You can change your name as much as you want to, but you can never change my face," Sylvain says. In Project Husky, the truck driver provided what police dubbed the "Trojan Horse," a tractor-trailer used on the gang's runs and advertised a motorcycle shop. Since then, Sylvain has been on the move.
His first relocation was a bug-infested fishermen's shed "and they moved me to another place, and then another place. At that time, I could not work or nothing because they were changing the name and the SIN number. "How can you go to work if you don't have a SIN number? At the last relocation, the RCMP wanted me to work for them somewhere in the country. When I got there, it was to work the Hells Angels again. I cannot work the Hells Angels in the same country," Sylvain says.

Mark Nunes had been planning and executing robberies across southern England

Mark Nunes ran towards a G4S cash van, a Beretta 9mm pistol in his outstretched hand pointed directly at Michael Player, the guard. At that instant a police sniper fired a single shot and Nunes fell backwards. He was dead.Simultaneously a blue Volvo swung out of a disabled parking bay and braked by the van with its rear passenger door open. This was the getaway car, intended for Nunes, 35, and his accomplice Andrew Markland, 36, who was now running across the road. But instead of jumping into the car, Markland ran past and picked up the gun. Another police marksman fired and Markland fell, dropping the gun. As he lay on the ground there was a third rifle shot. His wounds were fatal. Suddenly there were armed police everywhere – prodding the men on the ground to see if they were still armed, trying to talk to the shocked security guard and running for first aid equipment. Because of the blood and the pain in his wrist, Mr Player thought he had been shot. "Most times, we don't come off better," he said. In the confusion, the Volvo sped off. Its driver, Terry Wallace, was tracked as he dumped the car and made his way by train back to south London and the estate in Brixton where Nunes lived. Wallace made contact with other members of the Nunes Gang which had carried out at least 18 cash van robberies over the previous 18 months. The Metropolitan Police's Flying Squad, which had been watching and gathering intelligence on Nunes for months, was not far behind. A surveillance camera hidden in a tree outside Nunes's flat filmed Wallace - gesticulating with his arms as he described the shooting. Yesterday, at Kingston Crown Court, Wallace, 26, and three other members of Nunes's gang were convicted of conspiracy to rob. Three other men have already admitted offences linked to the parts they played as drivers, look-outs, scouts and robbers in his criminal organisation. All the men now face lengthy prison sentences. Brendan Kelly, QC, for the prosecution, told the court: "Despite their skill, their planning and their patience - their luck ran out." From the time he left prison in 2005 until the day he died, Nunes had been planning and executing robberies across southern England - from Ipswich and Cambridge to Bristol and Bath. They made off with at least £500,000.Nunes did not take part in every raid, but had organised each one - recruiting the team and carrying out extensive reconnaissance. The indictment listed 18 raids but police believe the gang was as many as 10 others. A career criminal, Nunes served three years and nine months of a jail term for a cash van raid in London in October 2000. Immediately he was freed, Nunes took up where he left off but deliberately targeted deliveries outside the capital. His theory was that cash vans would be less security-conscious in the provinces and the Flying Squad would not be on his tail.
Wallace, Johnson, Leroy Wilkinson, 29 and Victor Iniodu, 34, were convicted of conspiracy to rob after a five-week trial. Three other men - Leroy Hall, Leon McKenzie and Brian Henry - admitted the charge.

Man later identified as a member of the Nomads Motorcycle Club was ejected from court LG4 at Sydney's Downing Centre court complex.

The trial of the Nomad national president, Scott Allan Orrock, and two other senior Nomads, Hassan "Sam" Ibrahim and Paul James Griffin.
The three were charged after a Nomads member was kneecapped in both legs at their Islington clubhouse in Newcastle in 2004. The District Court trial ended on Friday with all three found not guilty on all charges.But what can be revealed is that on September 22 a man later identified as a member of the Nomads Motorcycle Club was ejected from court LG4 at Sydney's Downing Centre court complex.
He spent at least half an hour sitting in various seats in the public gallery - separated from the rest of the court by glass - staring menacingly at the jury. Two of the jurors complained and Judge Steven Norrish ejected the man.
Two days later a Sydney construction worker, Te Rana Rakete, was allegedly discovered filming the only crown witness in the trial - Dale Campton, a former Nomad who rolled on his clubmates after he was shot in both kneecaps.Mr Rakete was detained by sheriff's officers after a detective from the gang squad in court noticed him filming.In a hearing earlier this week for Mr Rakete, the court was shown the footage he had taken - five seconds of unrelated footage shot from a car and five seconds of Mr Campton as he sat in the witness box
Mr Rakete's legal aid barrister, Richard Jefferis, told the same hearing his client did not deny using the camera, but why he was filming was not yet clear."Mr Rakete does not deny that he was using the camera; he's made that clear," Mr Jefferis said.
"The critical issue was your client was filming a person who perhaps may have changed their appearance slightly since the time they were shot and bashed and are now under [police] protection," Judge Norrish advised Mr Jefferis.While no decision has yet to be made on Mr Rakete, it is possible he will face a charge of contempt of court in the Supreme Court.Mr Rakete is due to face Judge Norrish again on Tuesday.

Five Jamaicans said to be a part of a criminal gang in the United States have been arrested.

Five Jamaicans said to be a part of a criminal gang in the United States have been arrested. The five were held during a special summer crackdown of criminal gangs in the US. The Jamaicans are among 1,500 members of criminal gangs who were arrested during the operation. Immigration officials in the US say many of those now in custody were arrested on immigration violations. They face deportation from that country. The US authorities also arrested 12 gang members who are said to be from the Dominican Republic, five from Haiti and Cuba and two from Trinidad and Tobago.

Hells Angels stood guard outside court yesterday as a pool of jurors were chosen in the case of a murdered biker.

Karl Garside, 45, Simon Turner, 41, Dane Garside, 42, Malcolm Bull, 53, Dean Taylor, 47, and 46-year-old Ian Cameron all plead not guilty to murder. GANG members stood guard outside court yesterday as a pool of jurors were chosen in the case of a murdered biker. The panel, who will be sworn in today, will hear the case of six men accused of killing Gerry Tobin, who was gunned down on the M40.
Mr Tobin, 35, from Mottingham, London, was shot in the back of the head as he returned home from a Hell's Angels festival in Warwickshire last August.

Spanish branch of the Latin Kings was launched in 2000 by the young Ecuadorian Eric Velastegui, known as King Wolverine

The Spanish branch of the Latin Kings was launched in 2000 by the young Ecuadorian Eric Velastegui, known as King Wolverine, who is now serving a prison sentence for rape. The Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation was initially formed to help and defend Latin American immigrants in the Chicago area of the United States in the 1940s. Its members later became involved in violent crimes. US leaders of the Latin Kings visiting Spain, however, have downplayed the group's violent reputation, and evidence from the north-eastern region of Catalonia suggests that such gangs have the potential of being transformed into constructive social forces.
The Latin Kings' big rival in Spain are the Netas, a gang founded in the prisons of Puerto Rico in the 1970s. Other gangs include Dominican Don't Play (DDP), many of whose members come from the Dominican Republic. The Madrid DDP has begun to sell drugs and acquired firearms, the daily El Pais reported. Recently, evidence has even emerged of the presence in Catalonia of the Mara Salvatrucha and the Mara 18, Central American groups known for their extreme violence. In the Madrid region alone, the number of gang members tripled in three years to about 1,300 by 2007, police estimated. Nearly 300 of them were regarded as violent.
The main gangs, which are present in several cities across Spain, are hierarchically structured, tribe-like organizations. They are characterized by mystical symbols, an ethos of religiosity and machoism, and an ideology of defending the Latin American identity against an environment perceived as racist and hostile. The Latin Kings, for instance, wear rap-style clothes and black-and-gold bead necklaces. Their symbol of a five-point crown represents respect, honesty, unity, knowledge and love. The gangs tend to place women in a secondary role, with the Latin Kings as the only one to have a female section. Many of the gangs have a double nature, with leisure activities such as football alternating with robberies or extortion which new members can be ordered to commit as a kind of initiation rite. Dozens of gang members have been detained on charges ranging from kidnappings and threats to attacks and killings. Most of the violence takes place between rival gangs, but former members have also told courts about the beatings faced by those who break the internal rules. "We were told to pay 1,200 euros (1,700 dollars), or we'd be burned alive," two girls who had tried to leave the Latin Kings told a Madrid judge.
The growth of the gangs is based on the rapid increase of Latin American immigration to Spain. The overall number of immigrants has soared from 1.8 per cent of the Spanish population in 1990 to more than 10 per cent. The largest groups include 420,000 Ecuadorians and 260,000 Colombians. "Immigrants never see their children, because they work 23 hours a day. The kids are on the street, in search of a (new) family," King Mission, a US representative of the Latin Kings, explained during a visit to Spain. Gangs like the Latin Kings also give a sense of purpose and self-esteem to youths who may come from neighbourhoods riddled with gang violence in their own countries, grew up without their parents who emigrated before them, and who are now struggling with the difficulties of adapting to a foreign culture. In 2007, Latin street gangs did not commit any killings in Spain for the first time in several years. The decline was attributed to police crackdowns and, in some regions, to attempts to integrate the gangs into Spanish society. While the conservative Madrid authorities outlawed the Latin Kings in 2007, liberal Catalonia took the opposite approach, giving them the status of a cultural association.
Representatives of the Latin Kings and Netas even visited the regional parliament, explaining to legislators that they were planning to make joint musical recordings to bury their hostilities. International experts on street gangs have hailed Catalonia's ground-breaking approach, but it has not entirely eradicated inter-gang violence.

Ajine Stewart joined the Crisis Crips, a local branch of the notorious gang

Ajine Stewart Jamaican-born man, who came to Mississauga as a child, dropped out of school in Grade 10 to move in with his then-girlfriend, who had a baby by him, a boy now 7. He started selling marijuana and moved onto cocaine and crack "because I wasn't making enough money," started acquiring a criminal record and, about the age of 19, joined the Crisis Crips, a local branch of the notorious gang.
Asked to explain what the Crips are, Mr. Stewart offered, helpfully, that "they're different from the Bloods," another infamous gang. Asked what the "Crisis" meant, he said this was a reference to "the turmoils in life, the problems you go through."
At some point, he moved in with another woman who had given birth to his daughter, now 4, and began carrying a knife - then, some months before the shooting, the gun.
Despite pressure from his mother and the mothers of his children to go straight, and a brief stint working in a factory, he always chose the drug dealer's life - even selling while he was on bail, and under curfew, for a domestic-assault charge that was later withdrawn. It was in fact at this time, while he was living with his mother, also his surety, that he met Mr. Taylor. He was a Crip too, Mr. Stewart said, albeit from a different unit, and a drug dealer, and according to him, they struck up such a friendship that Mr. Taylor let him sell to his customer base while he was on bail.Mr. Stewart's thanks, for this inexplicable generosity, was to steal Mr. Taylor's customers when the charge was dropped and he could return home.
While he agreed with Mr. McDermott that some of his contemporaries stayed in school and worked at real jobs, Mr. Stewart nonetheless blamed his poor choices on "where I was living and the people around me.""You chose another life because it paid better?" Mr. McDermott asked. "Yes," said Mr. Stewart. "A lot better?" "Yeah," said Mr. Stewart.He went to Dundas Square only because he was looking for women. "I love women," he said, "especially from the States."He took the .38, fully loaded, because, he said, the Caribana celebration attracts lots of gang members, like him, many of whom are armed, like him, and he knew that gunfights could break out.
He said he saw Mr. Taylor, who called him over and told him he owed him money. He tried to get Mr. Taylor alone, away from his friends, but he wouldn't go; instead, "He was giving me bad looks, looking at me up and down." He demanded his money. "I told him to fuck off," Mr. Stewart said. "He said he was going to kill me."
Mr. Taylor allegedly reached for his waistband, so Mr. Stewart reached for his. He couldn't bow down to Mr. Taylor in public, or run or holler for police because "My career [as a gangster] would have been scattered." So he shot, in that square packed with people."As I said," he told Mr. McDermott shortly before he left the witness box, "I went through a lot that night."

Surenos 13 members were far-flung, ranging into what might seem like unlikely places such as Provo, Utah. Seven people identified as Surenos 13 member

Surenos means "southerner," Eways said. The term is often used in California prisons to refer to any gang member from southern California, he said. And No. 13 represents the letter M — the 13th letter of the alphabet — which symbolizes the gang members' alliances to the Mexican mafia, Eways said.increase in arrests of alleged members of the gang Surenos 13 may represent the gang's increasing reach, or it may result from better classification of those arrested, authorities and academics said. The gang is distinct from the larger and better-known MS-13, but police or federal agents may have lumped them together during previous roundups.Over the course of a four-month effort that ended Tuesday, officials arrested 1,759 people in 28 states, 33 percent more than they arrested during a similar campaign last year. Of those, 1,315 were gang members and gang associates, and 338 belonged to Surenos 13, according to figures released Wednesday by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials.
The Surenos 13 members were far-flung, ranging into what might seem like unlikely places such as Provo, Utah. Seven people identified as Surenos 13 members were arrested there in June.A relatively small number of those picked up this summer, 86, were identified as members of MS-13. Federal authorities have said MS-13 is one of the nation's largest gangs, with 10,000 members in the U.S., Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala. During a similar crackdown last year, officials arrested 273 people identified as MS-13 members."In every area of the country, there are transnational gang problems," ICE assistant secretary Julie Myers said in an interview with The Associated Press.Surenos 13 gangs, also known as SUR 13, may not be connected to gangs bearing the same name in other locations, she said. MS-13 continues to have a tighter affiliation across the country than those calling themselves Surenos 13, she said.Another reason for the uptick in Surenos 13 arrests could be that for many years, law enforcement across the country had been misidentifying MS-13 members. There are about 1,000 gangs across the country with the same signifiers as MS-13, said Sgt. Andrew Eways, supervisor of the Criminal Investigation Section of the Maryland State Police.MS-13 and Surenos 13 are equally lethal and dangerous, said gang psychology expert Jorja Leap, an associate adjunct professor of social welfare at the University of California, Los Angeles. "I would not want to be greeted by either one of them."

Jose "Boom Bat" Negrete had "total control" over the gang's activities and used money from the gang's kitty to purchase guns he gave members to carry

As head of the Latin King street gang, Jose "Boom Bat" Negrete had "total control" over the gang's activities and used money from the gang's kitty to purchase guns he gave members to carry out his deadly orders, an ex-Latin King testified in court yesterday. Esmeraldo "Esmo" Rodriguez said if any Latin King wielded a gun -- to shoot up a rival gang member's house or commit a murder -- it was done with Negrete's express permission. "Anything that went on, anything that happened went through him, especially beef," Rodriguez said, referring to gang-related violence. "There was nothing going to happen without that man's say so. He had control over all of us. He was militant. He was the one giving the orders, making the plans, in venting what to do." Negrete, 27, is on trial for the murder of Jeri Lynn Dotson, 23, a female member of the Latin Kings who was shot to death execution style in her Chestnut Street home in August 2004. Negrete is charged with ordering the shooting to keep the mother of two quiet about witnessing several Latin Kings lure rival gang member Alex Ruiz to what was supposed to be his death. Ne grete is also charged with the at tempted murder of Ruiz, who sur vived the strangulation attempt. Yesterday Rodriguez testified outside the jury's presence in a hearing to determine what he will be allowed to say when he takes the stand today.
Assistant Prosecutor Tom Meidt wants Rodriguez to be able to testify that Negrete bragged that he had "Muslim connections" to supply guns to the gang and that on one occasion Rodriguez ac companied Negrete to a mosque for guns. He also wants Rodriguez to testify that Negrete gave guns to the gang members he ordered to "put in work," or shoot and murder people. Defense attorney Mark Fury said Rodriguez could provide no proof that Negrete could or did get guns from any Muslims or that any guns he may have provided were used for the murder of Dotson or any other crime. Such testimony would unfairly prejudice the jury, Fury argued. Fury maintains that it was Rodriguez and another Latin King, Roberto "Bam Bam" Rodriguez, who plotted the murders of Ruiz and Dotson. Superior Court Judge Darlene Pereksta is expected to rule on Rodriguez's testimony this morning. Earlier in the trial yesterday Dotson's family members sobbed quietly as photos of her crime scene were displayed on a video screen for jurors. Negrete sat impassively, hand on his chin, as he looked at photos of Dotson, clad in shorts and a tank top, lying in a pool of blood. Dotson's parents and sister averted their eyes, but hearing a police witness describe the crime scene was enough to bring them to tears as they clutched each other's hands for support. Another witness, neighbor Anthony Smith, testified that he had heard a loud bang inside his home around 2:40 a.m. the morning Dotson was shot to death.

Kenneth (Wags) Wagner, a founder of the Niagara chapter who was found guilty yesterday of trafficking cocaine and firearms

Hells Angels were able to obtain confidential documents regarding police intelligence, the trial for a member of the notorious Hells Angels heard yesterday.
A handbook produced by the provincial Biker Enforcement Unit for front-line officers and intelligence reports about members of a rival gang were among documents seized from the clubhouse and homes of senior gang members, including Kenneth (Wags) Wagner, a founder of the Niagara chapter who was found guilty yesterday of trafficking cocaine and firearms for the benefit of a criminal organization.
The police documents and a member's wiretapped statements that he received "paperwork" from a police source were part of an agreed statement of facts read before the court."This was a highly sophisticated criminal operation that was using informants," prosecutor Tom Andreopoulos said during a break in the proceedings, adding that the Hells Angels' ability to penetrate police intelligence is a long-standing concern.Mr. Wagner was arrested in late September, 2006 along with 23 others in raids on homes and clubhouses in Toronto, Oshawa, Windsor and Niagara Region. The arrests were the culmination of an 18-month undercover operation called Project Tandem, which involved 500 officers from 11 forces and resulted in the seizure of more than $3-million worth of drugs and an array of weapons, in addition to the police documents.Project Tandem was executed with the help of a police agent named Steven Gault.In the agreed statement of facts, a Niagara chapter member and co-accused of Mr. Wagner's, Gerald Ward, revealed to Mr. Gault in a conversation recorded in August, 2005 that he knew a police officer who would tell him "a lot of stuff" and bring him "paperwork all the time."Mr. Ward's court proceedings are separate and ongoing.Mr. Wagner pleaded guilty to trafficking cocaine and to possession of the proceeds of crime, and has admitted to being an executive member of the Niagara Chapter of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club. However, he pleaded not guilty to trafficking cocaine and transferring a firearm for the benefit of a criminal organization, leaving it to the court to determine whether that group constituted a criminal organization. The confidential police documents formed part of Mr. Andreopoulos's argument that they are, and the judge ruled that Mr. Wagner's crimes were therefore to the benefit of a criminal organization.Justice John McMahon is scheduled to pronounce sentence on Oct. 7.In April, 2007, seven months after Project Tandem ended , Constable Frank Dean Rudge, 44, of Niagara Regional Police, was arrested and charged with breach of trust.Suspended with pay on a $30,000 surety and required to surrender all his police gear, including his service pistol, Constable Rudge is midway through a preliminary hearing, set to resume in December, which will determine whether there is sufficient evidence to send him to trial.Constable Rudge was arrested at the Port Colborne police station where he worked. At his bail hearing, according to news reports at the time, he was ordered to stay away from members of the Hells Angels.Prior to his arrest, he had spent 21 years with the Niagara force.

White Boy Posse Edmonton-based gang bid to sell cocaine in Medicine Hat

undercover investigation by Medicine Hat police has stopped an Edmonton-based gang with ties to the Hells Angels from putting down roots in the southern Alberta city.
The investigation, dubbed Project Vortex, netted police 1.25 kilograms of cocaine and resulted in the arrest of three men allegedly involved with the White Boy Posse a gang that includes white supremacist members with a fondness for Nazi symbols.
Although the gang continues to operate, Medicine Hat police said their operation last week has foiled the White Boy Posse's nascent bid to sell cocaine in the city of 60,000.It was a huge impact in Medicine Hat," said Sgt. Brent Secondiak of the organized crime section. "They were in the process of finding clientele and we stopped them."Police in Edmonton who have observed the White Boy Posse said being a white supremacist isn't a requirement for being in the gang, but the racist ideology is shared by many of its members and associates."People of that mentality do gravitate to that group," said Acting Det. Dale Johnson of the Edmonton Police Service.Some members have Nazi-style swastikas tattooed on their bodies, and police have found flags and other white supremacist paraphernalia.In March, a joint Edmonton-RCMP investigation called Project Goliath ended with the arrest of 14 White Boy Posse members and 10 others believed to be associates.Police alleged the suspects were responsible for street-level cocaine dealing in Edmonton, Grande Prairie, Fort McMurray and Yellowknife.Law enforcement agencies have identified the White Boy Posse as a puppet gang associated with the Hells Angels.
The Hells Angels, an international outlaw biker gang with three chapters in Alberta, are believed to be responsible for wholesale drug sales to street-level gangs.
In the Medicine Hat case, three men have been charged with possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, possession of the proceeds of crime and possession of prohibited weapons.The accused are Christopher Scaglione, 21, and Chase Calihoo, 20, of Edmonton, and Douglas Hurton, 29, of Medicine Hat.

New Canadian Rock Machine chapter. Michael Xanthoudakis and Eneliko Sabine told customs officials they had arrived for a week-long fishing trip

Michael Xanthoudakis and Eneliko Sabine told customs officials they had arrived for a week-long fishing trip and were planning to meet up with an Internet buddy, who they only knew as "J.D."Police believe they had other plans.The residents of Sydney had flown halfway around the world at the invitation of several bikers in Western Canada who are in the process of setting up a new Canadian Rock Machine chapter.
According to police they were all planning to meet last week in Gimli, Man., to begin mapping out the process, but plans were scuttled when suspicious customs agents began asking questions and eventually began searching their luggage. Inside they found several biker vests, flags and other paraphernalia.Gimli is in south-central Manitoba.Xanthoudakis and Sabine were detained in custody Sept. 19 after it was learned both men had criminal records in Australia.Xanthoudakis was convicted in December 1999 of assaulting a police officer, while Sabine has a 2006 conviction for impaired driving. They are not facing any new charges in Canada.The facts surrounding their arrest and detention were laid out for the first time Monday during an immigration hearing. There was no publication ban.A government lawyer said Canadian police had recently circulated a national bulletin warning of the impending resurrection of the Rock Machine and the rumoured meeting in Gimli. Police were told to be on guard for any foreign bikers who may be travelling to Canada.Daphne Shaw-Dyck, a member of the Immigration and Refugee Board, ordered both men to be deported as quickly as possible after finding they have no legal grounds to be in Canada. She also rejected their bid to be released into the community pending the deportation, which is expected to happen later this week.Ed Rice, a defence lawyer acting on behalf of Xanthoudakis and Sabine, said the men were hoping to be "out on the streets" for the duration of their stay in Canada.He expects them to be deported later this week, once security issues can be worked out with the airlines regarding their flight back to Sydney.Shaw-Dyck agreed with the federal government's claim that the men - and the gang they represent - pose a significant risk to public safety.The federal government cited the Rock Machine's dark history in Canada, which included links to 150 murders in Quebec during a violent turf war in the 1990s.
Among those victims were two prison guards and an 11-year-old boy hit by shrapnel from a car bomb.The Rock Machine was absorbed into the Bandidos in 2000.Several members actually joined the Hells Angels when the Bandidos refused to immediately grant full-patch status to them.The immigration hearing was told Monday the new western Canadian Rock Machine will be headed up by Winnipeg biker Ron Burling, who recently was sentenced to eight years in prison for a drug-related kidnapping in which the victim was tortured.Burling, the former leader of the now-defunct Manitoba Bandidos, lost an appeal earlier this summer and ended up leaving court on a stretcher after he launched into a bizarre outburst and then began clutching his chest.Rice said the "new" Rock Machine will be nothing like the one Canadians grew to fear and will simply be a club of motorcycle riding enthusiasts who will frown upon criminal behaviour. Both the government and Shaw-Dyck expressed doubts about that claim, noting Burling's violent past."I find it very difficult for that claim to be made," said Shaw-Dyck, who noted that one of the Canadian bikers who met Xanthoudakis and Sabine at the Winnipeg airport was arrested after being found carrying marijuana.Xanthoudakis and Sabine must return before the Immigration and Review Board for another hearing if they have not been deported within seven days