Latest News

Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION

Police raids, arrests targeted Hells Angels

By: Mike McIntyre

Posted: 03/16/2012 11:07 AM | Last Modified: 03/16/2012 4:52 PM | Updates

City police tactical team members march away from a house they raided earlier this morning in the 800 block of Government Avenue as part of Operation Flatlined. (PHIL HOSSACK / WINIPEG FREE PRESS)

Related Items

Articles
- Hells Angels president to spend holidays in jail

Enlarge Image

Winnipeg Police display items from a series of raids under Project Flatlined. (TYLER WALSH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store

Winnipeg police believe they’ve taken yet another bite out of organized crime by once again infiltrating the Hells Angels.

More than 150 police officers, including members of the heavily-armed tactical unit, swooped across the city Friday in a series of raids aimed at disrupting the illegal workings of the outlaw motorcycle gang and their associates.

Police arrested 11 suspects in the culmination of an extensive undercover project called "Flatlined" which involved targeting high-level drug sales throughout the province. They include current Hells Angels president Dale Sweeney and his brother Rod, a full-patch member. More arrests are expected in the coming weeks, and police will be laying charges of drug trafficking, laundering and participating in a criminal organization.

The project name is a tongue-in-cheek reference to the Redlined Support Crew, which is currently serving as the so-called "farm club" of the Hells Angels. Members of the group spent much of 2011 engaged in a violent street war with rival members of the Rock Machine.

There were more than a dozen reported incidents including drive-by shootings and firebombings which prompted police to take the highly unusual step of canvassing specific neighbourhoods and warning citizens about the potential for danger.

Police have conducted three other major high-profile takedowns of the Hells Angels in the past decade which has severely disrupted the growth of the gang and resulted in many full-patch members and associates facing extensive prison time for drug deals which were caught on audio and video surveillance.

Police held a news conference Friday afternoon in which Insp. Rick Guyader said the arrests leave the Manitoba chapter of the Hells Angels with just four active members, which is less than the required seven needed to continue chapter status. Guyader said they will likely have to suspend operations until they can recruit new members.

Officers stormed inside homes in several city neighbourhoods, with perhaps the biggest bust coming in a newer development on Autumview Drive in Waverley West. That home is owned by Dale Sweeney, one of the longest serving members of the Hells Angels who took the helm as president in recent years.

Sweeney was taken into custody without incident, and police were seen removing two vehicles from his property. Police will likely move to seize plenty of property as part of the Criminal Property Forfeiture Act. Other raids were reportedly in North Kildonan and East Kildonan.

At one scene in the 800 block of Government Avenue in EK, seven police cruiser cars and two other heavy paneled vehicles kept a perimeter around a specific home located near the intersection of Besant. An ambulance also sat nearby. Police are monitoring traffic flow in the area and turning vehicles and pedestrians away.

www.mikeoncrime.com

History

Updated on Friday, March 16, 2012 at 12:30 PM CDT: Updated

1:12 PM: added detail on raids/arrests

4:52 PM: Updated

Fact Check

Have you found an error, or know of something we’ve missed in one of our stories? Please use the form below and let us know.

* Required

In which story did you find the error? *
Please post the headline of the story or the title of the video with the error.
What was the error? *
Please post exactly what was wrong with the story.
What should we have written?
Please indicate your source for the correct information.
Who else should we interview to improve this story?
Please include any contact information you may have.
Can we contact you in the future for advice on stories about this topic?
Yes

No
First Name: *
Last Name: *
E–mail Address: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Phone: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Colour:
Are you blue? If you can see this, leave it blank and get some CSS support.
Enter the words that you see: * This is to prevent our forms from being filled out automatically.
You have failed to correctly identify the words in the box above. Please try again.