“We don’t want to create panic,” Durham Regional Police Deputy Chief Dean Bertrim said at a news conference Monday before the event. “But we have an obligation, and in all fairness, I have a responsibility, to make sure our community is informed and provides accurate information.”
The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club (HAMC) chapter based in Brooklyn, north of Whitby, will host the 2022 Canada Run from July 22-24.
Officials said they hoped the annual meeting, which members will travel from across the county and beyond to take part, would be “indifferent” but asked members of the public to keep their distance.
“If you see a large group of motorcycles, illegal motorcycle club riders, do not interact, keep your distance. Try to stay out of the line of the motorcycles and be safe,” OPP Det/Insp. Scott Wade pointed out.
In view of the three-day event, the Department Chief Bertrim acknowledged police are aware of social media posts by Hells Angels supporters who have taken issue with the agency’s proactive approach.
“Let me be clear today: It is an organized crime group that has consistently demonstrated that it is responsible for all kinds of crimes, including drug trafficking, illegal gambling, human trafficking, firearms and acts of violence committed by their members or through support clubs. said Bertrim.
Bertrim said these crimes were highlighted by Project KAKIA, a 2021 police investigation which targeted organized crime networks in Durham and included members of the Hells Angels and Red Devils motorcycle clubs.
Approximately 32 firearms and ammunition, $300,000 in cash and $1.2 million worth of drugs were seized in this operation.
Police added that there will be an increased police presence in the area during the event and that local businesses have already been told what to expect on Friday.
The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club spans five continents and 59 countries and worldwide membership is estimated in the thousands.
