PROJECT COLISÉE
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MONTRÉAL, November 22, 2006 – This morning,
the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit (CFSEU) completed the first
stage of one of the most important police operations in the history of
Canada with the arrest of 71 people including Nicolo Rizzuto Sr., Francesco
Arcadi, Francesco Del Balso, Paolo Renda, Rocco Sollecito
and other associates. This major international investigation, named Project
Colisée, highlighted the group’s criminal activity and revealed
the many tentacles of Traditional Italian-based Organized Crime.
This Project of the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit was carried
out by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, with the co-operation of the
Sûreté du Québec, the Service de police de la Ville
de Montréal, the Canadian Border Services Agency, the Service
de protection des citoyens de Laval, Canada Revenue Agency and other
partners.
More than 90 searches took place this morning in the Montréal
and Laval region. More than 700 police officers were involved. The purpose
of these searches was to gather evidence related to proceeds of crime
as well as other evidence incriminating the accused.
Essentially, Project COLISÉE revealed:
• That six individuals, Nicolo Rizzuto Sr., Paolo Renda, Rocco
Sollecito, Francesco Arcadi, Francesco Del Balso et Lorenzo Giordano
are part of a criminal organization whose primary activity is to
commit or facilitate the commission of serious crimes such as the importation,
exportation and traffic of controlled substances, bookmaking, extortion
and possession of proceeds of crime.
• • That the criminal organization has infiltrated the
Montréal International Airport. Members of the criminal organization,
and individuals acting in association with the organization, import
and facilitate the importation of cocaine via the airport. A customs
officer and a dozen current and old airport employees (airline and
food services) are involved.
• That members of the criminal organization, and individuals
acting in association with the organization, conspired to import 1,300
kg of
cocaine by container. A quantity of 300 kg, representing the first
shipment out of a total of 1,300 kg, was seized.
• That members of the criminal organization, and individuals
acting in association with the organization, corrupted a second customs
officer and conspired with this person to import an indeterminate quantity
of drugs by container.
• That members of the criminal organization, and individuals
acting in association with the organization, operate a bookmaking business
online.
• That a member of the organization attempted to commit murder.
• That members of the criminal organization, and individuals
acting in association with the organization, traffic in cocaine.
• That another separate organization exports marihuana to the
United States using the Akwesasne reserve as a transit location for
the drugs going to the United States and the money from the sale of
marihuana
entering Canada.
The 90 persons charged under this investigation face approximately 1,000
counts for offences committed between the period of 2003 and 2006.
The suspects who were arrested are charged with importing, conspiracy
to import and trafficking in drugs, conspiracy for the purpose of trafficking
in drugs, criminal organization offence, bookmaking, possession of
prohibited firearms, commission of offence for organized crime, extortion
and attempted murders.
The assets of some of the persons charged were seized, including houses
and bank accounts. More than CDN$3,116,380 and US$255,200 were seized
in the course of the investigation.
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For information:
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Communications Office
(514) 939-8308
