Hells Angel 'L'animal' still in police custody in Panama

Michel Smith, the fugitive Hells Angels biker known as "L'animal," who is wanted on 22 murder charges, will remain in police custody in Panama at least until after a court arraignment. "We don't yet know precisely when that will be," Sûreté du Québec Sgt. Claude Denis said Monday. After that, proceedings will be started to ship Smith - who had been on the run since 2009 - back to Quebec to face 29 criminal charges, including 22 for murder, Denis said. Smith had long been sought in connection with the SharQc Quebec police crackdown on the Hells Angels. He was nabbed Friday night in the Playa Coronado region, on the Pacific Ocean coast of the Central American country, Denis said. According to a report from Panama's TVN, Smith was found in an apartment 50 metres from a police station. The report says several cases of beer and a large quantity of beef were found in Smith's apparent hideout. Sgt. Julie Gagnon of the RCMP had earlier Monday referred all media inquiries on the fate of the fugitive biker to the SQ. SharQc netted a total of 155 alleged criminal bikers accused of everything from drug trafficking to first-degree murder. In a statement, a spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs said the government is aware of the arrest of a "Canadian citizen" and that consular officials are in contact with Panamanian authorities and are providing assistance as required.