ot wa Bikers cruise through courts DESPITE the difficul- ties faced by the police investigating what is seen as the major orga- nized crime problem facing our country, outlaw biker gangs, recent days have seen some successes. Last month Vancouver Police strike force members terminated a two-year project that resulted in charges against dozens of people, includin (Chico) and Tony Pires and Ronald Lissing were nailed by the police as part of the major conspiracy investiga- tion. Last week RCMP drug squad undercover officers terminated a sting operation involving 50 kilos of cocaine. ‘The players — biker gang associates. Police seized $1.23 million in. cash. “ Now the police have long been saying the Hells Angels and. their.associates are the ganized crime problem'we have in Canada. A statement denied by the bikers, who say they are just a bunch of good ol” boys who like-to-ride Harleys and raise hell. Ricky Ciarncllo of the ‘Vancouver Hells Angels hapter was quoted exten during last summer (tak over) of the Alberta, say- olice have evi- ithe police investi- the: least of crime and punishment After an intimidated door- man refused to ask the bikers ro leave, one of the owners, Helimar Suessmeier, attempt- ed to do just that. He rda bottle in the face trouble, knocking him backward down some stairs, He died from his injuries. The bikers beat a hasty retreat from the scene of the crime. The cops arrived to find no witnesses to the incident despite there being dozens of people in the immediate area. ome diligent police work later and detectives Brian Ball and Grant MacDonald managed to put a case together and charged a long- time member of the Hells Angels East End chapter and North Shore resident. When the case got to court for the preliminary hearing, the courtroom was filled with outlaw bikers wearing their colours. The witnesses, curiously cnough, didn’t show up for the hearing. The Crown was forced to withdraw. Another victory for the bad guys. The charge can still be laid, but the police need someone who has the guts to tell the truth. Bur the justice system: has to do its share as “well. Speaking of the justice system, when it gets one of ese guys in its sights, the public expects ~~ no ; demands — the system do its duty. Such was not the case this ast week when long-time ells Angel, Gary Briggs was convicte of tra cking in narcotics. Briggs is a former presi- dent of the White Rock chapter of the Angels and is highly placed in the bi hierarchy. He was convicted of dealing at a high level to the undercover Mounties. Some of the deals occurred while he was wearing his biker colours. Before we look at the sen- tence Briggs received, let's take a peck at the 1998 Criminal Intelligence Services Canada (CISC) report on organized crime. “The five Hells Angels chapters in British Columbia control the drug trade in the province, particularly the cul- tivation of hydroponic mari- huana which they export in large quantities to the United States.” “Threats and assaults con- tinue to be favoured Hells Angels tactics to intimidate victims, potential witnesses and, increasingly, police and law enforcement offi So armect with the infor- mation that Briggs is not only a member of that crimi- nal enterprise, but a senior part of the hierarchy, when it came to sentencing for the crime at hand, che Crown didn’t put. that information in front of the sentencing judge. The result: 18 months house arrest. He is supposed to be home every cvening at 7 p.m. He is allowed to go out to work or to attend reli- gious services. This is particularly ironic given the weekly meetings of the bikers where club busi- ness is discussed is called “church.” ‘ So, this 50-something dope dealer and senior mem- ber of the single biggest organized crime ourht in Canada got grounded by the courts for doing the ver thing the Angels use to ‘build up their vast wealth and power. Understand this clearly. He got grounded for 18 months. ED SOME LIGHT... on a new look! MUR RAY. aN a a Your mice $692° @ Each Solid Brass Mini Lamps in polished Brass, Antique Brass or Pewter 10-12” with Hand Sewn Silk Shade 6” in diameter F EIS 8S Vancouver’s largest selection of lamps » NORBURN LIGHTING 4600 E. Hastings St., Burnaby -AND BATH CENTRE 299-0666 What are we missing here? Without being privy to the behind-the-scenes discus- sions, it is impossible to dis- cern why the Crown declined or neglected to put the appropriate background information in front of the sentencing judge. Whatever the reason, clearly the Crown was negligent in its duty to the public. The biker or Outlaw Motoreyele Gang (OMG) problem is growing by the day. “The East End chapter has recently split. A new chapter called the Nomads has result- ed. The former feeder club, the Regulators, has been told to “bury” its colours. Certain ‘individuals have been ited to “prospect” for the ind chapter. « Nomads have taken over the former Regulator clubhouse. According to the police, this is all about money and control of the drug trade. The justice sysrem cannot afford to duck its responsibil- ity any longer. 900 In a recent column about the foibles of Vancouver's new Chief Constable Bruce Chambers, I said Calgary’s police chief Christine Silverberg had also been on the short list of candidates. To clarify, Silverberg did not apply for the position. She was contacted by the head-hunting firm regarding the position, but, according to Silverberg, did not throw her hat into the ring. My sources tell me she was actively considered for the position during the nation-wide hunt for anew chief, but was ultimately dis- counted, ¢ This could have occurred without her knowledge or specific interest in the job. L hope this clarifies any confusion caused by that col- umn. —~ lknight@direct.ca 1 Your Complete Mechanical 183 Pemberton Ave. ) Repairs & Service Specialists TALKING 985-7195. azr2. ® Auto ¢ Homeowners ° Travel Olcr Severs Service bn The North Shore hsurance Services Inc. 0 200 West Esplanade . -North Vancouver: Located beneath eres Lower Mainland si since LIAL: Planters win ter! For creative ideas on how to_ combine foliage, grasses, bulbs and flowers visit Maple Leaf Garden Centres. Learn how to create colourful planters and baskets to enjoy through the winter months. You can count on Maple Leaf for fresh products and helpful advice. “Anatomy ofa Planter!” Instore demos... 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