A man from Red Deer is among 10 people, allegedly linked with the Hells Angels, who were arrested during a series of raids in mid to late May.
The Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team alleges seizing more than $1 million in stolen property including vehicles, rifles, shotguns and a handgun from sites in Red Deer, Edmonton, Grande Prairie, Alberta Beach, Gunn, Onoway, Morinville, Legal, Ryley, Sherwood Park and Langley, B.C.
In a statement released on Wednesday, ALERT communications manager Mike Tucker said police conducted 13 simultaneous raids on May 12, followed up with additional searches on May 19 and May 25.
Altogether, police allege seizing 17 travel trailers, three pick-up trucks, six ATVs, one snowmobile, two dirt bikes, 18 rifles, two shotguns and one handgun.
The raids and arrests were the result of Project Al-Wheels, an ALERT investigation into activities of the Edmonton chapter of the Hells Angels motorcycle club that started with a tip from a member of the public, said Tucker.
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Investigators allege that vehicles were stolen from residents and businesses in the communities cited above, and then fraudulently registered with false serial numbers. Those vehicles were then sold at a discount among associates and members of the Hells Angels, said Tucker.
More than 300 charges were laid against the 10 people arrested as a result of the raids, said Tucker. Two of the suspects are known members of the Hells Angels while the other eight are associated with the club, he said.
Co-accused and scheduled for court in Edmonton on June 23 are Bobby Dodman, 42, of Red Deer; Julien Roussell, 58 and Christopher Scott, 32, of Edmonton; Lawrence Cotter and Laura Hawkridge, both 41 and from Alberta Beach; Mark Funk, 38, of St. Albert; Jacob Jenkins, 38, of Gunn; Frank Preeper, 42, of Morinville; Kane Laplante-Racine, 29 of Strathcona County, and Anthony Shaw, 56, of no fixed address and arrested in Grande Prairie.
ALERT members are conducting follow-up investigations with the Insurance Bureau of Canada, Service Alberta and the RCMP’s national weapons enforcement support team.