GANGLAND GODFATHER

day after targeting a drug house linked to the United Nations gang, Abbotsford police have announced the arrest of eight more suspected dealers linked to the Red Scorpion gang.Const. Ian MacDonald said the Abbotsford police and bike squads conducted a two-day project in the downtown core of the city targeting the dealers and their drug lines.Project Christmas Crack - Down led to seizures of crack cocaine, heroin, marijuana, cash, weapons and cellular phones used in these drug operations, MacDonald said."The project also demonstrated that drug trafficking was taking place on or near school grounds and had clear connections to organized crime. Of the seven men and woman arrested the associations to the Red Scorpion Gang in particular were evident," he said."The intelligence gathered as a result of this project will be used for future police investigations and projects. The Abbotsford Police Department is expecting to make more arrests in the coming days."

day after targeting a drug house linked to the United Nations gang, Abbotsford police have announced the arrest of eight more suspected dealers linked to the Red Scorpion gang.Const. Ian MacDonald said the Abbotsford police and bike squads conducted a two-day project in the downtown core of the city targeting the dealers and their drug lines.Project Christmas Crack - Down led to seizures of crack cocaine, heroin, marijuana, cash, weapons and cellular phones used in these drug operations, MacDonald said."The project also demonstrated that drug trafficking was taking place on or near school grounds and had clear connections to organized crime. Of the seven men and woman arrested the associations to the Red Scorpion Gang in particular were evident," he said."The intelligence gathered as a result of this project will be used for future police investigations and projects. The Abbotsford Police Department is expecting to make more arrests in the coming days."

Torturer Martin Hamilton is preparing for early release after nine years of a life sentence. "There will be a few people dreading the day he walks out of prison a free man." Hamilton was flanked by two guards as he called on his mother for tea and biscuits on a home visit from Shotts Prison.He watched l ive coverage of the UK Snooker Championship at the old lady's Glasgow flat on Thursday before emerging at 3.15pm. He was then driven back to Kerr House, a low-supervision wing at Shotts. Ultra-violent Hamilton was jailed for life in 2000 for a catalogue of offences , including abduction, torture and drug-dealing.He was ordered to serve at least nine years before he could apply for parole.But the 49-year-old heroin baron and bank robber is now confident he'll be out soon after he was granted the right to enjoy two-hour home visits. he has been told he will train for his release at New Douglas Park, home of SPL club Hamilton Accies.Our source told us: "Hammy can

Eleven-year-old Aston Wise was shot and killed while sitting in a parked SUV with his dad, Ken Wise, who was critically wounded. Aston Wise was a passenger in a sport-utility vehicle parked on a South Shore street Friday night when a masked gunman opened fire with a shotgun, killing Aston and critically wounding his father.Aston, of the 6800 block of South East End Avenue, was shot in the head in the 7800 block of South Kingston, police said. He was pronounced dead on the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.Ken Wise was critically injured after a masked gunman fired into his parked SUV Friday night, killing his son Aston. Aston was a sixth-grader at Martha Ruggles Elementary School, 7831 S. Prairie, Chicago Public Schools spokeswoman Monique Bond said. Police Supt. Jody Weis said detectives are investigating if the shooting was connected to a relative with gang ties. Weis said Aston had a half brother in the Black Disciplines street gang and that there has

Arrested a 19-year-old Norteño gang member early this morning in Santa Rosa after he allegedly threw a .357-caliber revolver into some bushes near a park. Officers responded to the report of a fight at Pear Blossom Park off of Edgewater Drive at about 3:15 a.m. The fight had dispersed by the time they arrived. They checked the area around the park to try to find the people involved in the brawl. Officer Jesse Whitten found someone about a block away from the park walking along a sidewalk. When the suspect, Alexander Ian Rodriguez, a Santa Rosa resident, saw the officer he allegedly threw the revolver into the bushes in front of a house, police said. Rodriguez was arrested for allegedly being felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a concealed firearm and possession of a firearm with the serial number removed, according to police. Gang crime detectives identified Rodriguez as being a member of the Norteño gang and then also charged him with several gang enhancements

33-year-old man was killed by Parañaque cops responding to an alleged gang war that erupted early morning Sunday.SPO1 Reynaldo Arojado said Celso de los Santos, a construction worker and resident of Malugay Street, Barangay San Martin de Porres, was shot dead near his home after he allegedly fired at members of police community precinct 3 at around 2 a.m.Initial investigation showed that two groups of men were in a scuffle when the cops arrived on the scene.Armed with an improvised gun (sumpak), De los Santos reportedly shot at the officers who were forced to return fire.The suspect was rushed to the Parañaque Doctors Hospital but was declared dead on arrival for multiple gunshot wounds.Arojado said the shooting would be investigated further. He added that cops have been pursuing those who took part in the gang war.

Two mobsters called to testify in a Palermo trial didn't corroborate the testimony of a Mafia hitman who last week said Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and a close associate gave the mob political reassurances in the early 1990s.The mobsters appeared Friday at the trial of an Italian senator and a former business associate of Mr. Berlusconi. Giuseppe Graviano, a Mafia boss who, along with his brother Filippo, is serving multiple life sentences for bombings and murder, declined to testify.Filippo Graviano told the court through a video link that he had never had any direct or indirect contact with the Italian senator on trial.The case is the appeals trial of Marcello Dell'Utri, a member of the Italian Senate. Mr. Dell'Utri was an employee of Mr. Berlusconi when the Italian billionaire ran his family's media empire.Prosecutors on Friday were expected to ask Giuseppe Graviano whether he could corroborate testimony given last week in the trial by hitman Gaspare Spa

Scott Robert Sutton, Santa Barbara Chapter of the Hells Angels pleaded guilty Monday to being a felon in possession of a firearm and is expected to be put on five years probation when he is sentenced in January, according to prosecutor Derek Malan. Scott Robert Sutton, 41, could get as much as three years behind bars if he fails to comply with the terms of his probation, said Malan. Sutton, of Ojai, will be sentenced Jan. 6.On Sept. 24, 2009, an officer with the Ventura Police Department saw a vehicle being driven by Sutton commit several traffic violations, according to Malan. Sutton failed to stop for five blocks, even after the officer had turned on his patrol car siren and lights. The officer said Sutton thew an “object” from his car. Officers later recovered a .32 caliber automatic handgun, a handgun magazine and six .32 caliber bullets, according to Malan.Sutton had been convicted of felony insurance fraud in 2002.

"The Rock Machine outlaw motorcycle gang, like all outlaw motorcycle gangs represent a real and present threat to the Australian community," he said.new drug-peddling Canadian bikie gang called Rock Machine is threatening to establish its presence in Western Australia, beginning with a national run through Perth this weekend.Detective Superintendent Kim Papalia from the gang crime squad said Rock Machine - whose members are renowned for their violence and extortion - was re-emerging as a force in the USA and Australia after being absorbed by the Bandidos gang about nine years ago.Detective Papalia would not say how many members were in WA or how many would be embarking on the run, but he said Rock Machine posed a "significant public safety risk" and could lead to an "increase in tensions" with rival gangs. He was also tight-lipped about where Rock Machine would base itself in Perth.He said police had begun approaching people believed to be involved with th

Dominic Anderson, 22, and Abdullah Omar, 21, are charged with first- and second-degree attempted murder in the beating of 19-year-old Raymond Woodland, who is accused of shooting their friend in the face during an argument at a birthday party at the Sheraton Baltimore City Center Hotel.According to charging documents, Anderson wrestled a TEC-9 semiautomatic firearm away from Woodland, then stood on the bed and struck him repeatedly with it in the face and head while Omar held him in a "sleeper hold." Omar was accidentally struck in the temple during the altercation, and both men stayed on the scene with their friend until police arrived. Police said Anderson and Omar, who each have a handful of minor arrests but no convictions, face serious charges because they went too far. But at a bail review hearing Monday, a District judge disagreed and did not require the men to post bond, releasing them on their own recognizance. Woodland was in critical condition at Maryland Shock Tra

London home of the Outlaws biker gang was razed yesterday, seven years after it was raided and boarded up in a province-wide sweep by police. Yesterday, as neighbours and police officers looked on, an excavator with a massive claw first knocked down a garage and then the clubhouse that's been a fixture at 420 Egerton St. since the 1980s. "It's become a real eyesore and I'm glad it's being torn down before somebody burns it or gets killed in it," said neighbour Cathy Cadman, 50, who's lived a few doors from the clubhouse since the summer of 1982. Once a popular neighbourhood variety store, the bikers moved into the building shortly after the store closed. The chapter's London president, Thomas Hughes, moved into an adjacent house at 434 Egerton -- it's also slated for demotion this week. Cadman said the bikers were never a problem, noting a shooting in January 2002 of a rival gang member outside the clubhouse just months before it was raided was the

Sentenced Jamal Shakir, leader of the Rollin' 90s Crips street gang, to life in prison without the possibility of release on Monday for his role in the woman's death. Shakir was convicted of running a drug ring and money laundering operation that stretched from Tennessee to California. Between 1994 and 1997, authorities said, Shakir killed or was involved in the murder of nine people, including Walker, who was 24 when she was shot in October 1996. For his crimes, U.S. District Court Judge John T. Nixon handed Shakir 16 sentences of life without parole and nine more sentences of life without parole to be served consecutively with the first 16. He also got four additional sentences totaling 95 years. If, for some reason, Shakir is released from prison, Nixon ordered that Shakir be placed on probation for the rest of his life. Federal prosecutors said Shakir, 34, orchestrated the criminal acts from his East Nashville home. Some of the killings were intended to silence potential w

Punko will be sentenced the week of Jan. 18 and Potts will be sentenced Jan. 25. Last month, Leask dealt a devastating blow to the Crown’s case at the pending drug trial when he ruled the Crown was prohibited from proceeding on criminal-organization charges against two Hells Angels members. Justice Peter Leask granted a defence application that the Crown cannot proceed at trial on charges that allege the East End chapter of the Hells Angels is a criminal organization. The defence argued that a jury at another trial that ended last summer acquitted Potts and Punko of the criminal-organization charges, so they should not be punished twice. Crown prosecutor Martha Devlin Devlin argued that the criminal-organization charges should not be dropped because the judge could not speculate on why the jury came to the verdict it did on the criminal organization charges. The judge agreed with the defence. “My decision is the Crown is estopped from leading evidence that the East End charter Hells An

Twenty-six people have been arrested and eight others are being sought in connection with a massive police sting targeting members and associates of the Zig Zag Crew and Manitoba's Hells Angels chapter, police say.So far, 24 have been formally charged, primarily with drug trafficking and proceeds of crime offences.It's the third time in less than four years Manitoba's largest police forces have conducted a project resulting in the arrests of local Hells Angels members and associates. The Zig Zag Crew is aligned with the local chapter.This investigation, led by the Manitoba integrated organized crime task force, is called Project Divide.So far, police have seized 165 ounces of cocaine, 12 ounces of methamphetamine, 12,000 tablets of ecstasy, one ounce of heroin, and seven pounds of marijuana.Firearms have also been seized.Today, members of the RCMP, Winnipeg police and other agencies raided several homes and businesses in Winnipeg and other communities, including a clubhouse

Raj Soomel was gunned down, a worker at his Vancouver halfway house mistakenly wrote in a log book that convicted kidnapper Randy Naicker had gone out to the corner store.Vancouver police officials said last month they believe the Independent Soldiers gang founder was the intended target of the killers who executed Soomel on Sept. 29.The gangster was convicted of kidnapping a gangster in the Vancouver suburb of Surrey in 2005, after $400,000 worth of pot went missing and two gangland associates were murdered.He was sentenced to five years behind bars

Delvin "D-Luv" Ward, 33, and Demichael "Mikey P" Burks, 25, pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to engage in a racketeer-influenced and corrupt organization, Bogden said.Playboy Bloods pleaded guilty in federal court today to racketeering and drug conspiracy charges, said U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden of Nevada.Sebastian "Rock" Wigg, 33, and Fred James "June P" Nix, 33, pleaded guilty to one count of drug conspiracy.All four men admitted that they are members of the Playboy Bloods, a criminal gang that operates in the Sherman Gardens Annex housing complex at H and Doolittle streets, Bogden said.The men admitted that members of the gang are involved in criminal racketeering acts, including murder, attempted murder, robbery and drug trafficking. They also said that the chief financial activity of the gang is narcotics trafficking.They also admitted that gang members distribute drugs from apartments and hotel rooms in their neighborhood,

Drug source for Latin King gang members who controlled cocaine sales in parts of Hartford was sentenced to 10 years in prison Monday at U.S. District Court in New Haven.Federal prosecutors said that Hedric "Edrik" Velez, 35, of Vernon, received about 44 pounds of cocaine by mail from Puerto Rico between March 2008 and April 2009 and made about $40,000 in profit selling to gang members.Velez, who was arrested in April, is one of 55 people charged by Hartford police, state police and the FBI following a yearlong investigation of drug sales and violence in the Hartford area. He pleaded guilty in September to conspiracy to distribute and distribution of 5 kilograms or more of cocaine.In addition to the prison sentence, Senior U.S. District Judge Peter C. Dorsey ordered Velez to submit to five years of supervision by the federal probation department upon his release from prison.Federal prosecutors said that Velez received kilogram packages of cocaine from Puerto Rico by U.S. mail.

Ladarrius Rogers, 17, of 3711 Dunlop St., Monroe, was booked into Ouachita Correctional Center on charges of possession of a firearm by a street gang and illegal weapon possession. The other suspect, 16, was booked into Green Oaks Detention Center. Because of his status as a minor, his identity and charges were not revealed. According to an arrest affidavit, as police were investigating the shooting, they learned it involved three different gangs, Underground Soldiers, Black Out Boys, and 3 Unit. On Monday, Rogers about the incident. Police asked the suspect if he had ever held or fired a gun. Rogers told police he had and described it as, "long and black." Police showed Rogers a picture, supposedly taken Oct. 24 of him holding a sawed-off shotgun with members of the 3 Unit gang and showing gang signs with his hands. Rogers told police he had held two guns with his friends from the gang but said the guns were not his. Rogers also told police he was with the 3 Unit gang on the

The profile piece highlights how gang members, ambivalent to the fact that their tweets may be watched, are not only using Twitter() to purposefully and openly stir the pot with rival gangs, but are also using it to coordinate fights. These Twitterers attempt to avoid detection by using street lingo, but their activities are constantly being monitored by police and investigators.The story follows a recent incident where, according to the piece, “a boy shot in the leg … may have been targeted because of a battle the Original Young Gangsters crew started on Twitter.” As mentioned, Manhattan police are aware of the gang members’ activities and are keeping a vigilant eye on Twitter in the hopes of finding evidence or preventing brawls. There have even been Twitter success stories, but just as gang members have adapted to a new medium, we’d expect them to adapt to the surveillance measures as well.New York City police officers have a hard time controlling violent gang crime, and they are in

19-year-old suffered a gunshot wound to the hip early Saturday morning in what police call a gang-related fight outside a rented party hall. Police were called to 808 Main Street about 1:13 a.m. on reports that shots were fired and a person hit by gunfire.The injured man was transported to Legacy Emanuel hospital. The suspect in the shooting fled the area. A gun was seized at the scene but it wasn't known right away whether it was the weapon used in the shooting. Police said the party was at a venue called the Vancouver Ballroom. In a prepared statement, police wrote "It is rented out for dances ranging from polka groups to hip hop DJ events. This particular night the location was rented out to "Iparty hard entertainment" This was a DJ hip hop / Rap event also themed a black and white party."

Some of the alleged gang members were already in custody on other charges; the others were arrested in El Paso this week. All have been indicted on charges that they conspired to sell more than 500 grams of cocaine. Two people were also indicted on a charge of possession with intent to distribute the drug ecstasy.FBI Special Agent in Charge David Cuthbertson said the arrests make a "significant" dent in the Bloods' operations in El Paso.All 13 people arrested are being held in various local, state and federal jails, including the El Paso County Jail. It is unclear if any of them have lawyers.