Police crack down on violence against greater Montreal area businesses

Police from different forces in the greater Montreal are working together to solvedozens of cases of violence and intimidation targeting local businesses. So far they have arrested 19 people.

Officers from Montreal, Laval, and the north shorecommunities carried out an operation after linking 67 separate incidents over the past year including threats, extortion, arson, and assault targeting stores and businesses.

Those arrestedare facing a range of charges including weapons possession, armed assault, extortionand arson. Officials say more arrests could be coming.

"Our goal for us with the unification of the forces of the three police services is to put an end [to the violence]. Reduction is not enough, we want to put an end to this violence. Our business owners will not be threatened," said Laval police major crimes division Insp.Kimon Christopoulos.

Christopoulos confirmed that organized crime is involved and targeting business owners in the Arab community.

The acts took place mainly in the Chomedey sector in Laval, near Cur-Labelle Boulevard located south of Highway 440. In Montreal, they were concentratedmainly in the Saint-Laurent borough.

The investigators managed to find the suspects "by focusing on certain offences related to arson, narcotics, vehicle theft," said Christopoulos.