Quebec Public Security Minister François Bonnardel said organized crime is no longer a business reserved for adult criminals and says parents need to step in to protect their children from gangs.
This comes after a meeting with Laval and Montreal police, the Sûreté du Québec and provincial correctional authorities following a wave of arrests.
A 14-year-old was killed last month after attempting to shoot at an alleged Hells Angels clubhouse in the Beauce region. At least 10 youths have been arrested in recent weeks for allegedly committing crimes on behalf of powerful gangs.
“The model is completely different from what we’ve seen 30 years ago between the Rock Machine and Hells Angels. We’ve seen more street gang using young members, young as 14 years old, 15 years old, doing the job,” said Bonnardel.
Investigators claim that jailed criminals use cell phones brought behind bars using drones to dictate orders to the young recruits. Bonnardel says he’s waiting for federal authorization to use devices that scramble cell signals to disable drones. Those devices are currently illegal in Canada.
The government promised Montreal and Laval additional budgets to hire hundreds of recruits. The Coalition Avenir Quebec is also asking Ottawa to give harsher sentences to criminals of all ages.
These are measures he hopes could curb gang violence.