BIKER NEWS: Former Montreal Hells Angels boss arrested in his cell in sweeping organized crime raids

BIKER NEWS -- Members of the Hells Angels, street gangs and the son of Vito Rizzuto were targeted in major raids this morning targeting organized crime and drug trafficking in the Montreal area, Quebec provincial police say.

Police say 48 people were arrested in the raids.

"We arrested all the persons who were making the decisions," Quebec provincial police Lt. Benoit Dubé told reporters Thursday morning. 

"All the main players who were sitting at the table at that union. That union doesn't exist anymore, today."

As part of the operation, Maurice "Mom" Boucher, who at one time headed the Montreal chapter of the Hells Angels, was arrested in his cell, investigators said.

Boucher was already serving a life sentence on two counts of first-degree murder in the shooting deaths of two prison guards.

Others arrested include:

• Gregory Woolley, a member of the Hells Angels and the reputed leader of the Syndicates, a street gang formed by the Hells at the height of its bloody 1990s biker war with the Rock Machine.
• Stefano Sollicito, the alleged boss of the Montreal Mafia.
• Leonardo Rizzuto,son of the late mobster Vito Rizzuto.
• Loris Cavaliere, a lawyer who has represented members of the Rizzuto crime family.

Three other people are still being sought by police.

The RCMP, Quebec provincial police and Montreal police offered details at a news conference this morning. 

Those arrested were key players in organized crime at a national level, police said.

Police say they seized 41 firearms, $1.2 million in cash, 122 cell phones and Harley Davidson motorcycle.

Those arrested are expected to face a series of charges including gangsterism, conspiracy to commit murder and drugs and firearms charges.

Bilodeau said roughly 200 police officers took part in the operation.

Court appearances have been set in Montreal and Longueuil, on Montreal's South shore, for 2 p.m. ET today.

This article was first published on Nov 19, 2015

Get a copy of CBC or go to www.cbc.ca for more stories.