Mike on Crime

By Mike McIntyre
Winnipeg Free Press

Confidential Winnipeg police and justice documents — including officer e-mails and phone numbers, profiles of local gang members, reports on prior investigations and secret plans and strategy — fell into the hands of the Hells Angels, jurors heard Monday.

The massive security breach has been revealed publicly for the first time at the trial of full-patch biker Ian Grant, who has pleaded not guilty to nine charges including drug trafficking, extortion, proceeds of crime and participating in a criminal organization.

Two veteran officers told court Monday they were stunned to find the classified information during a search of Grant’s East Kildonan home in February 2006 following a year-long undercover investigation that used a paid police agent and resulted in 14 other arrests.

A brown envelope marked “Ian Taxes and Receipts 2005” and contained in the top drawer of a table was actually a hiding spot for hundreds of pages of highly sensitive documents which never should have left the custody of police and justice officials.

“Certainly not. These documents are very restricted,” Sgt. Gordon Penner told jurors.

The officers didn’t speculate on how the local Hells Angels may have got the items or what purpose they may have been used for.

Jurors were not told whether any police or justice investigation has been conducted following the discovery of the documents, which included:

• A Winnipeg Police Service “emergency roadblock plan” which covers all six districts in the city and details how police should respond — and what intersections sealed off — when searches are underway for criminals. The plan even includes specific instructions for dealing with escaped prisoners from Headingley Jail and Stony Mountain penitentiary.

“Is this the kind of information you would want the general public to know about?” Crown attorney Chris Mainella asked police Const. Sean Cassidy on Monday.

“No,” the officer replied.

• Extensive justice profiles for more than a dozen rival drug dealers and gang members to the Hells Angels. These documents — which can only be accessed by police and corrections officials — contain photos of the men and women, detailed descriptions, contact numbers, criminal history, friends and associates and institutional offences. They are clearly marked “Sensitive Information” at the bottom of the page.

“Would this type of information be accessible to the public?” asked Mainella. “No it would not,” said Cassidy.

• A 1995 internal police e-mail communication between two officers discussing an ongoing drug investigation. The writer named a specific target and is requesting help from his colleague in finding other people who can assist in the case. The e-mail would have only been available to someone with access to the police computer system, jurors were told.

• Notes on a 1997 joint-forces Winnipeg police and RCMP investigation called Project Disarm. Prepared at the time by the officers, these include several pages of references to the specific members assigned to the case, their personal cellular phone numbers, their position within the investigation (such as “on the cover team”) and even the type of vehicle they are driving. Included in the notes is specific reference to one of the targets and mention of doing future drug buys inside the Stock Exchange Hotel.

• The names of more than 50 rival gang members in Winnipeg, including the Bandidos. Ian Garber, the lawyer representing Grant, suggested Monday that Winnipeg police had actually prepared the typed list and distributed it to bars around the city with instructions to “not let these people in.”

“I’m not aware of any such list ever being prepared as you suggest,” said Cassidy.

• A list, prepared by police in 1997, titled Winnipeg Youth Gangs. The documents include the names of several dozen teens allegedly involved in street gang activity at the time

Police also recovered a long list of names and phone numbers of members and associates of the Hells Angels and their puppet club, the Zig Zag Crew, which had been prepared by the gang as a means of keeping track of everyone.

Grant’s trial is scheduled to last until the end of April.

*****

By Mike McIntyre

Hundreds of Hells Angels members around the world may be in for a shocking wake-up call – because Winnipeg police literally have their number.

Gang investigators uncovered a global phone book of sorts when they raided a local member’s home last year in the culmination of an extensive undercover sting operation, members of a Winnipeg jury heard Monday

Officers searching Ian Grant’s residence found detailed lists of gang members names and numbers from chapters around the world including the United States, Denmark, South Africa, Germany, England, Sweden, Portugal, France, Brazil, Australia, Italy and Holland.

Const. Sean Cassidy told court they also seized extensive membership lists for Canadian chapters including seven in British Columbia, Saskatoon and Regina, and Kitchener, Woodbine, Niagara and Toronto farther east.

Police also found private Hells material including a 2005 brochure for their annual “World Run.” The event, held that year in Prague, attracts bikers from around the world.

“We wish you a good ride. See you son, brothers. With love and respect, Prague brothers,” the pamphlet found inside Grant’s home reads.
“We hope that Prague is a very interesting city with lots of ways to enjoy your time.”

The pamphlet also included a map to the Prague clubhouse and some suggestions for local hotels.

Jurors were shown many of the seized items as Grant’s two-month trial entered its second week. He has pleaded not guilty to nine charges including drug trafficking, extortion, proceeds of crime and participating in a criminal organization.

The jury also viewed dozens of photographs of other Hells items found inside the home which ranged from the expected (items of clothing) to the bizarre (a Hells mousepad and toque).

“Most of the men’s clothing inside the house had some kind of (Hells) insignia,” Cassidy told court.

A gang watch, pins, stickers, ring and baseball caps were also seized from the home, along with Grant’s personal photo album, a seven-camera surveillance system mounted outside the residence and two television sets.

Defence lawyer Ian Garber suggested police went too far with their search and accused them of taking the underwear of Grant’s fiancee. Cassidy told court he didn’t know anything about that and didn’t see any other officers do it.

Grant was also found in possession of numerous pieces of mail addressed mainly to other members and associates of the Hells. Most of the letters involved credit company demands for payment of existing debts and warnings of unpaid parking tickets.

One of the more revealing discoveries was a pair of safety deposit box keys which led officers to a downtown bank. Police seized $6,500 cash that they say was part of the estimated $180,000 given to Grant by an undercover police agent, Franco Atanasovic, as part of ongoing drug deals and alleged acts of extortion.

*****

Here’s a number-by number look at some of the notable items police found inside Hells Angels member Ian Grant’s home during a Feb. 15, 2006 raid:

HUNDREDS of pages of classified police documents including
officer e-mails and phone numbers, profiles of rival gang members, reports on prior investigations and secret plans and strategy

EIGHTY pieces of clothing with Hells Angels logo

FIFTY names of rival gang members, including the Bandidos

SEVEN surveillance cameras surrounding the home

DOZENS of names and phone numbers of Hells Angels and associates from chapters around the world including Canada, United States, Denmark, South Africa, Germany, England, Sweden, Portugal, France, Brazil, Australia, Italy and Holland

FOUR Hells Angels toques

TWO safety deposit box keys that led to the discovery of $6,500 cash

ONE brown envelope marked “Ian Taxes and Receipts 2005” containing the previously mentioned confidential documents

ONE Hells Angels mouse pad