Pubdate: Thu, 05 Dec 2002 Source: Montreal Gazette (CN QU) Copyright: 2002 The Gazette, a division of Southam Inc. Contact: http://www.canada.com/montreal/montrealgazette/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/274 Author: Sidhartha Banerjee $2-BILLION DRUG BUST Smuggled Via Port. West End Gang 'Mostly Out of Order' After 14 Arrests: Police Inspector At Surete du Quebec headquarters on Parthenais St. yesterday, members of the RCMP, Surete and Montreal police showed off some of the haul of drugs, weapons and cash they seized in arresting 14 people they charged with smuggling cocaine and hashish. Three police forces have combined to break up a drug-importing ring operated out of the Port of Montreal by the notorious West End Gang, responsible for importing $2.1 billion in hashish and cocaine between 1999 and 2001. With yesterday's arrests, the RCMP, Montreal police and the Surete du Quebec hope they have put a serious dent into one of Canada's most influential criminal organizations. "We believe with these arrests, the West End Gang is mostly out of order for a while," said Inspector Serge Frenette of the Montreal police. "Others will attempt to take over, but we'll be watching." The reputed kingpin of the West End Gang, 62-year-old Gerald Matticks, is already behind bars after he pleaded guilty last August to being a major drug supplier to the Hells Angels and received a 12-year sentence. But some of his closest associates and one of his sons were among 14 people arrested yesterday. About 50 officers were involved in the early-morning operation as police carried out four search warrants. The arrests came after an 18-month investigation named Projet Boeuf - a reference to Hells kingpin Maurice (Mom) Boucher's nickname for Matticks, who operated a cattle ranch and wholesale-meat business. Among those arrested was Gerald's son Donald Matticks, 39, who worked as a checker at the Port of Montreal, responsible for verifying containers that came into the port. Police say much of what they were able to accomplish in Projet Boeuf is thanks largely to informant Elias Luis Lekkas, a former vitamin-store owner who started out with Matticks by selling stolen chickens and became a key player in the Matticks empire. "We were able to seize the drugs, but we were never able to lay any charges against anybody," said Inspector Freddy Foley of the Surete du Quebec. "From the information (Lekkas) provided us, we combined forces and were able to conduct a full investigation and make arrests." Ironically, it was Donald Matticks who had originally brought Lekkas into the gang and watched him rise through the ranks to become his father's right-hand man before turning on him. Also arrested yesterday were longtime West End Gang members Donald Driver, 61, of Bromont, and John MacLean, 52. Driver, along with Matticks, was part of one of the most celebrated drug busts in this province. Driver, Matticks and two others were arrested and charged in 1994 with importing 26.5 tonnes of hashish into the Port of Montreal. But the case had to be thrown out after it was discovered evidence was planted by police. The incident became known as the Matticks Affair and resulted in a $30-million public inquiry into the provincial police. Also arrested yesterday were Serge Charron, 53; Frederick Bougie, 32; Normand Beauregard, 39; Michael Thomas, 43; Dany Fraser, 40; Antonio Mariani, 41; Tom Kalpakis, 52; Darren Wilding, 36; Stephen (Beaver) St-Pierre, 41; James Morrison, 60; and Saoul Castillo-Reyes, 34. The 14 were arraigned on multiple charges including conspiring to traffic, drug trafficking, conspiring to import and importing drugs. Police still have a warrant for the arrest of Charles Lorne (Chucky) Mitchell, 42. Thomas, who ran for council chief in Kahnawake in elections last summer, Wilding and Fraser were released yesterday after posting $50,000 cash bail and having a third party agree to pay $100,000 if they fail to meet bail conditions. Montreal police and the Mounties intercepted three of seven major drug shipments. As to where all the hash and coke that wasn't intercepted went, police aren't entirely sure. "Once it got to the Nomads or others, it is difficult to tell where the drugs went after that," Frenette said. The drugs were distributed throughout the province, Foley said, and are likely to have ended up in other provinces such as New Brunswick and Ontario. As for problems at the Port of Montreal, police say there probably were a number of other people involved and more arrests are possible. "Donald Matticks could not have done this all on his own," Foley said. "There were others involved, but for now we have not arrested other suspects because of a lack of evidence." - --- MAP posted-by: Alex