Woman and 8 men charged in Hells Angels-linked drug investigation

Nine people from New Brunswick have been charged in connection with an investigation into cocaine trafficking linkedto theHells Angels, say RCMP.

The eight men and one woman, aged 35to 65,allappeared inBathurstprovincial court on Wednesday to face a variety of drug-related charges, under a heavy police presence.

They were arrested in various locations in the northeastern part of the province on Tuesday and Wednesdayas part of OperationJ-Thunder, which started in November 2016, said Cpl. Jullie Rogers-Marsh.

None of the accused are members of the Hells Angels outlaw motorcycle gang, but police believe theyare linked to outlaw motorcycle gangs in New Brunswick and Quebec, she said.

• 5 men arrested in Hells Angels-linked drug investigation
• Raids targeting Hells Angels yield dozens of arrests in Quebec

ricDegrce, 43, of vangline, Marcel Friolet, 58, of Allardville, and Danny Smith, 45, also of Allardville, who are each facing eight charges, remain remanded in custody after the Crown objected to their release.

The charges against them include:

• Commission of an offence for a criminal organization.
• Instructing the commission of anoffence for a criminal organization.
• Conspiracy to traffic in cocaine.
• Trafficking in cocaine.
• Conspiracy to possess cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.
• Possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.
• Laundering proceeds of crime.
• Possession of the proceeds of crime.

Degrce,Friolet and Smith are scheduled to return to court on Monday at 1:30 p.m. for bail hearings.

The other six individuals have been released under conditions pending their next court appearance on May 28.

John Watson,55,EricDoucet,40, both fromAllardville, have each been charged with:

• Commission of an offence for a criminal organization.
• Trafficking in cocaine.
• Possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.
• Laundering proceeds of crime.
• Possession of the proceeds of crime.

Jason Poirier, 40, ofInkerman,and DanielDuguay,58, ofSaint-Irne-et-Alderwood, are both facing charges of trafficking in cocaine and possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.

GabrielFrilot, 65,and JulieMichaud,35, both ofAllardville, are accused of laundering proceeds of crime and possession of proceeds of crime.

At least 64 people were arrested in New Brunswick and Quebec on Tuesday during a series of raids conducted by the RCMPand Sret du Qubec.

The arrests resulted in the dismantling of three major Hells Angels-controlled drug trafficking rings in Quebec, which were providing drugs sold in northern New Brunswick, according to police.

The investigation continues.

Five of the New Brunswick men were arrestedearly Tuesday, while the other threemen and Michaud were arrested either Tuesday night or Wednesday morning.

Operation J-Thunder targets the sale of cocaine on the Acadian Peninsula and in Restigouche, Madawaska and Victoria counties.