Canada - RCMP, Outlaw bikers ogle N.S

OFF THE WIRE
BY: DAN ARSENAULT
Source: thechronicleherald.ca
Canada - RCMP: Angels' rivals thinking of setting up shop in province
Rivals of the Hells Angels are thinking of setting up shop in Nova Scotia and local outlaw bikers are taking action, says an RCMP investigator.
Dartmouth has a new motorcycle group that supports the Hells Angels and an Antigonish support group opened a Cape Breton chapter this year.
RCMP Const. Stephen MacQueen, who investigates outlaw biker gangs for the provincial intelligence-gathering unit, said police raids have weakened Hells Angels chapters in Quebec. As a result, the Rock Machine and Outlaws have shown interest in Nova Scotia.
Hells Angels members along with their friends and family gather at the Watipi Teepee Village north of Blackfalds, Alta., on June 19, 2009. Dartmouth has a new motorcycle group that supports the Hells Angels, thechronicleherald.ca has learned. (Jeff Stokoe / Red Deer Advocate)

RCMP: Angels’ rivals thinking of setting up shop in province
Rivals of the Hells Angels are thinking of setting up shop in Nova Scotia and local outlaw bikers are taking action, says an RCMP investigator.
Dartmou th has a new motorcycle group that supports the Hells Angels and an Antigonish support group opened a Cape Breton chapter this year.
RCMP Const. Stephen MacQueen, who investigates outlaw biker gangs for the provincial intelligence-gathering unit, said police raids have weakened Hells Angels chapters in Quebec. As a result, the Rock Machine and Outlaws have shown interest in Nova Scotia.
"I don’t think we’re staring at any (imminent) biker war," MacQueen said. "However, I would say there is some concern among the (local) outlaw motorcycle gang members that rivals to the Hells Angels are looking at Atlantic Canada."
A group called the Dartmouth Harley Club started in April 2009 and then changed its name to the Dark-siders about six months ago, he said.
"They are using the old Hells Angel clubhouse on Portland Street as their current clubhouse. They have at least eight members. Two of their members are from the now-defunct Undertakers . . . a puppet club to the (defunct) Halifax Hells Angels in the 1990s."
MacQueen wouldn’t identify any members of the Darksiders or the other gangs.
He said the Darksiders wear a patch that says Dartmouth Harley Club and has a sprocket logo, the letters MC for motorcycle club and their territory written on the bottom segment. That bottom segment, called a rocker, signifies that they are prepared to defend an area.
"Dartmouth is their territory," MacQueen said. "They couldn’t put that (rocker) on there without getting permission from somebody."
When another local outlaw club called Bacchus, also a Hells Angels support group, held the Maritime Biker Federation gathering in late July, several members of the Woodbridge, Ont., Hells Angels visited the Darkside clubhouse, MacQueen said.
"The Hells Angels don’t just drop in on regular riding clubs. The fact that they’re dropping in to see the Darksiders is an indication to us that they recognize them as a support club."
Bacchus members have Nova Scotia written on their bottom rockers and they appear to associate with the Darksiders, he said.
The Highlanders, based in Antigonish, have been in existence since 1998, but this summer, they opened a Cape Breton chapter in Sydney, MacQueen said.
This development is another indication that the bikers are being watchful for the Outlaws and Rock Machine, he said.
"I think these guys want to make it known that this is their area."
MacQueen said the Rock Machine temporarily folded its Nova Scotia operations this February. He said that happened just a month after Bacchus set up its Nova Scotia chapter.
The Nova Scotia Bacchus members used to belong to the now-defunct East Coast Riders, but they patched over to the New Brunswick-based Bacchus, a known Hells Angels support group, in January.
Just weeks after the Bacchus patching ceremony, new member James (Rustie) Hall and his wife, Ellen Hall, were murdered in their home in Barr Settlement, Hants County. No one has been arrested in the killings.
MacQueen said the East Coast Riders patched over because the Outlaws and Rock Machine were looking at Nova Scotia. The Rock Machine left Nova Scotia when Bacchus arrived, he said.
Police noticed something a few weeks ago that suggests the Rock Machine may be back.
"There’s indication on the Rock Machine website that they’ve reopened in Nova Scotia. We haven’t seen that yet."
As for the Outlaws, MacQueen said they are recruiting members in eastern Ontario and have visited Eastern Canada looking for possible expansion.
In Canada, outlaw motorcycle gangs are either supporters of the Hells Angels or are against them, MacQueen said. Bacchus, the Darksiders and Highlanders are known as supporters, so they will "do things to further the Hells Angels interests, whether that’s holding territory, whether that’s selling drugs for them."
Police will be monitoring the Darksiders the same way they do with the Highlanders and Bacchus.
"We keep track of their membership and we obviously keep tabs on who their associates are and what they’re up to."
The Hells Angels’ only chapter in Atlantic Canada had its beginnings in the Halifax area in December 1984. After a number of killings and police raids, the Angels chapter closed in August 2003.
A source, who did not want to identify himself but has knowledge of outlaw biker groups, said the biggest draw to setting up in Nova Scotia are the ports in Halifax and Sydney, which can be used to smuggle drugs into Canada. He also said rivals of the Angels are correct to think it is an opportune time to try to take control of the area.

( darsenault©herald.ca)

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