Pubdate: Tue, 22 Jan 2008
Source: Winnipeg Sun (CN MB)
Copyright: 2008 Canoe Limited Partnership
Contact:  http://www.winnipegsun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/503
Author: Dean Pritchard, Sun Media

PAPERS REVEAL THUGGISH LIFE OF DRUG GANGS

Newly released court documents reveal details of a  deadly turf war 
over Thompson's lucrative drug trade.

Revelations in the voluminous police affidavits include  new details 
of a plot to kill a rogue drug dealer that  forced police to pull the 
plug on a year-long  undercover investigation.

Search warrants, arrest warrants and police affidavits  connected to 
Project Drill -- a joint police  investigation that led to the arrest 
of 18 Hells Angels  members and associates last December -- were made 
public for the first time yesterday.

The evidence comes from undercover and wiretap  recordings obtained 
with the help of a police agent  sources have identified as career 
criminal Scott  Robertson, 49.

In the year leading up to the arrests, Thompson was the  scene of 
mounting tension between the Hells Angels and  local gangs jockeying 
for control of the drug trade,  the documents reveal.

Bekim Zeneli, leader of the LHS (Loyalty, Honour,  Silence) gang, was 
targeted for death in December 2006  following a meeting of several 
Hells Angels and  associates in Winnipeg. In a remarkable revelation, 
Hells Angel Billy Bowden -- an alleged Zeneli ally --  was also 
targeted for violent retribution if he did not  "side with the club," 
the documents say.

Police warned both Zeneli and Bowden by letter that  they were the 
targets of death threats.

Zeneli, 33, was found dead of a gunshot wound nearly a  year later in 
his Thompson home. No arrests have been  made in connection with his death.

Bowden is currently wanted for arrest after he failed  to turn up in 
court earlier this month on drug and gun  charges.

Police questioned Thompson resident Sean Heickert in  Zeneli's death 
but he was released without being  charged.

Heickert, say the court documents, was the subject of a  murder plot 
by rival drug dealers that sources say  prompted police to put an end 
to the undercover  investigation.

During early discussions of the murder plot, the police  agent was 
advised by his handlers to "be the voice of  reason and dissuade them 
from taking any action," say  the court documents.

'NO CHOICE BUT TO KILL'

Police charged Oshawa Hells Angel James Allan Heickert,  Stanley 
Anthony Lucovic and Dean Gurniak with  conspiracy to commit murder. 
Previous media reports  identified James and Sean Heickert as 
brothers. The  police documents suggest the two men are not related.

During a November 2007 meeting at a Winnipeg hotel,  Lucovic says the 
three accused "have no choice but to  kill Heikert themselves," the 
court documents allege.  "Gurniak agreed because no one there will 
help them.  Lucovic stated that Thompson is their home, they live 
there and they are not leaving."

Police in Thompson arrested Gurniak and Lucovic on Dec.  2 and 
charged them with uttering threats to kill  Heickert. Police notified 
Heickert of the threats but  he refused to provide a statement, say 
court documents.

The allegations have not been proven in court.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom