CANADA - Charges stack up for Hells Angels members

OFF THE WIRE
Criminal-organization charges have been tacked on to trafficking and conspiracy allegations against eight Hells Angels members accused of being involved in an international drug ring.
Police announced last week that they had raided a number of properties in the Okanagan and arrested Shawn Wom-acks, Murray Trekofski, Orhan Say-dam, Bryan Oldham, Kevin Van Kalk-eren, James Howard, Michael Read and David Giles. Giles is vice-president and Oldham is the sergeant-at-arms of the Kelowna chapter of the Hells Angels.
Womacks, Trekofski, Saydam and Old-ham are charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking a controlled substance in association with a criminal organization. Oldham also faces a charge of conspiracy to traffic a con-trolled substance in association with a criminal organization.
Van Kalkeren, Howard, Read and Giles are charged with conspiracy to import a controlled substance and conspiracy to traffic a controlled substance in association with a criminal organization.
The cases of all eight accused appeared Wednesday in B.C. Provincial Court and B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver.
A 20-month police investigation called E-Predicate that wrapped up in August focused on marijuana grow operations in the Okanagan area allegedly being used to fund the importation of cocaine into Canada. Covert operations were conducted in Panama, Mexico, the U.S. and other parts of Canada.
Police seized more than $4 million in alleged drug money.
Oldham, Saydam, Trekofski and Wom-acks have another court appearance scheduled for Sept. 12. The next appearance for Van Kalkeren, Howard, Read and Giles is scheduled for Sept. 21.

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