Currently, around twenty Hells Angels and around thirty members of the Blood Family Mafia (BFM) group are detained within the same walls, at Orsainville prison.
In February, the Sûreté du Québec made dozens of arrests in both groups to respond to an escalation of violent events linked to organized crime. Operation SCANDALEUX alone led to the arrest of at least eleven members of the BFM group in Quebec.
The SQ announced a series of arrests in Quebec on February 23. (Caroline Grégoire/The Sun)
Pending their legal proceedings, the majority of suspects were sent to Orsainville prison, which is causing an overload of work in the already crowded establishment.
“Detention facilities are already overloaded with inmate populations. When there are police operations like that, it’s even worse,” says Mathieu Lavoie, president of the Union of Peace Officers in Correctional Services of Quebec.
According to information from Sun, Orsainville prison would be almost at maximum capacity.
“The infrastructure is not growing. This is not the kind of clientele that can be accommodated in any sector. We need specific supervision for people who are part of organized crime,” explains Mr. Lavoie.
Separated
Currently, the two criminal groups are completely separated in different sectors of Orsainville prison. Correctional officers must ensure that there is no contact between the two camps.
Currently, around twenty Hells Angels and around thirty members of the Blood Family Mafia (BFM) group are detained at Orsainville prison. (Le Soleil Photo Library, Jean-Marie Villeneuve/Le Soleil Photo Library, Jean-Marie Villeneuve)
According to our information, “traffic stops” have been introduced since Operation SCANDALEUX, which creates significant logistical challenges and adds to the workload of personnel.
For example, when a member of the Hells Angels has to go to the infirmary, all the inmates of the prison are placed in confinement to ensure that he does not come across a member of the opposite group.
According to Mathieu Lavoie, around fifty additional correctional officers would be needed to properly operate the Quebec Detention Center.
Violence
The massive arrival of members of these two groups results in an increase in violence in the Quebec detention center. In November, two allies of the Hells Angels were attacked by members of the Blood Family Mafia group. “They were attacked quite severely. “It’s something that’s being seen these days,” reports Mr. Lavoie.
In recent months, correctional officers have witnessed several settling of scores in prisons in eastern Quebec. With cell phones that they obtain by drone, members of street gangs film themselves and publish the videos of their attacks on social networks.
“It’s part of their culture to show their violence. It’s becoming a bit aberrant and it makes public safety and the judicial system a mockery,” laments the union president.
In general, staff at Orsainville prison are witnessing an increase in physical and verbal violence between incarcerated people, but also towards staff. “It has an impact on the tension that it causes to have these groups inside,” summarizes Mathieu Lavoie.
No more drone deliveries
The scourge of drone deliveries to prisons is not new. But they are more frequent these days at Orsainville prison, confirms the president of the union.
“Organized groups often control mass entry into detention by drone. They control the traffic because it is used to finance their external activities,” he explains.
In fact, inmates’ access to cell phones is worrying, points out Mr. Lavoie. “It allows them to have contact with the outside world, to plan their criminal activity, to intimidate victims and witnesses, to carry out banking transactions and to monitor their entire business criminal while they are inside.”
With these tools, inmates can continue to have influence in the drug war outside prison walls.
