Bail hearings for alleged Montreal Mafia underway

Bail hearings for a dozen defendants arrested in an allegedMafia bust in Montreal concluded on Wednesday without any decision issued on their requests for release.

The suspects have been in custody for two weeks, after they were arrested and charged in connection with Operation Colise, an international probe that police believe dismantled a major organized crime operation based in Montreal.

The accused face several charges ranging from drug trafficking and conspiracy to extortion and bookmaking.

Their bail hearings were supposed to start Tuesday, but Quebec court Judge Andr Perreault requested a day's delay to read the background material provided by prosecutors.

On Wednesday, prosecutors presented their evidence, which includes information gathered by video surveillance, wiretaps, hidden microphones and forensic analysis.
All evidence, testimony and cross-examination by defence lawyersis covered by a publication ban, granted by Perreault on Tuesday.

Before ruling on the defendants' request for bail, Perreault will have to consider three factors: whether the suspects are considered a risk to public safety, whether they would show up for their trials and whether the public will lose faith in the judiciary if they are released.

Most of the suspects up for bail hearings Wednesday have some connection to Montreal's Trudeau airport, which was used as a hub for smuggling drugs into the country.

The alleged architects of the crime ring, including Nicolo (Nick) Rizzuto, will appear in court for their bail hearings later in December.

The suspects remain in custody at various prisons in the greater Montreal area.