Quebec police have arrested 11 suspects, including alleged Montreal mafia leader Leonardo Rizzuto, in a large-scale operation targeting organized crime throughout the province.
A joint press conference on Thursday morning by the provincial police (SQ) and Montreal police (SPVM) revealed that about 150 officers participated in the coordinated sting. The operation spanned multiple cities, including Montreal, Laval, Blainville, Shefford, St-Lazare, Repentigny, Quebec City, and Rosemère.
“This is one of the most significant police operations in recent decades,” said Benoit Dubé, Criminal Investigations Director at the SQ.
Among the 11 men arrested, three were already in custody. All are suspected of connections to traditional Italian organized crime, the Hells Angels biker gang, or street gangs. Authorities are still searching for five additional suspects.
The arrests relate to involvement in murders or attempted murders between 2011 and 2021, where suspects acted as sponsors, executors, or accomplices. A key breakthrough came from Frederick Silva, a former contract killer turned police informant who has cooperated with investigators since 2022.
Retired officer Pietro Poletti explained Silva’s role as “basically a freelance hitman,” a tactic uncommon in Italian organized crime or biker gangs in the past.
Dubé emphasized the investigation’s impact in solving violent crimes and providing closure to victims’ families. “We are continuously applying pressure on organized crime networks to ensure public safety,” he said.
He also warned that the charges could result in severe penalties, “not two years in prison, but 25 years in prison.”
