A lobster buyer accused of threats and extortion

A lobster buyer accused of threats and extortion


Lobster buyer Éric David Thibault, in the southwest of Nova Scotia, has just been accused of an extortion attempt of $ 10,000. The 65 -year -old man was already accused of having uttered threats and having made intimidation gestures.

The Royal Canada Gendarmerie suspects that it is part of a criminal family that is trying to take advantage of the lobster industry, according to the sergeant Jeff Leblanc. Police also suspects him of having led two people to threaten the alleged victim, a former fisherman, and of having tried to extort money from him last Thursday.

Criminal fires, threats and intimidation gestures have been creating concern in recent years in the region, especially in lobster fishing. There GRC try to convince people to testify to criminal gestures.

People know what to be done and that cooperation is essential. We note a certain cooperation that we have not had as much in the past. It’s positivesays Jeff LeBlanc.

The police arrested Éric David Thibault, his 32 -year -old son, Zacharie David Thibault, and a third suspect. Arrested on Sunday, they remain in detention. They are all accused of having uttered threats, of having made gestures of intimidation and of having tried to extort $ 10,000 from the former fisherman.

The three men appeared in court to DigbyMonday. Their next appearance will take place on Friday. The crown opposes their release.

Previous accusations

Organized criminals try to exert an influence in this industry which is experiencing tensions linked to peaches carried out outside the regulatory season, according to the GRCwhich includes lobster caught by natives and sold on the black market.

The former fisherman in question, a resident of Saulnierville, is surprised that someone has attacked him since he has not fishered for ten years, explains Sergeant Leblanc. He said the three men wrongly accused him of speaking publicly against them, adds the policeman.

The fishing port in Meteghan, in Nova Scotia. (Archives photo)

Photo : Radio-Canada / Adrien Blanc

The authorities accused Éric David Thibault and Zacharie David Thibault of intimidation in November following an alleged incident which would have taken place near Meteghan. A lobster buyer, Geoffrey Jobert, suffered threats. Someone attacked their house, but the Thibault are not accused for this.

Geoffrey Jobert, owner of the family business Lobster Hubexplained that he received threats after starting to buy lobster last season from fishermen who no longer wanted to provide their sockets to establishments that would buy lobster illegally caught.

Éric David Thibault was also accused in December 2023 of having intimidated a fisherman who wanted to change the buyer. A month later, he was accused of intimidation on two witnesses in the port of Meteghan.

According to a report by Richard Cuthbertsonof CBC

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