MONTREAL – Police arrested some 90 suspected mobsters early Wednesday, including the father of a man who allegedly killed members of the Bonanno crime family in New York, dealing what they described as a major blow to organized crime.
More than 700 police officers in Montreal conducted a series of early morning raids to round up the suspects, and more than 1,300 charges were expected to be brought, including attempted murder, drug dealing, gangsterism, extortion, bookmaking and possession of restricted weapons.
"We believe we've pierced Italian organized crime," Royal Canadian Mounted Police Cpl. Luc Bessette said, adding that the project began two years ago.
The RCMP, Montreal police and Quebec provincial police took part in the raids.
Among those arrested was 82-year-old Nicolo Rizzuto, the father of Vito Rizzuto, who was deported to the United States earlier this year to face charges related to the murder of three members of the reputed Bonanno crime family in New York.
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