Eight people have been arrested and charged with trafficking in cocaine as part of Operation Barbarian, a four-month investigation which targeted organized drug trafficking in the province.
RCMP raided the Outlaws Motorcycle Club in Grand Falls Windsor on the weekend and provided an update this morning.
Two of the eight charged are members of the Outlaws 1% motorcycle club, while four are members of the Fallen Few—a Grand Falls-Windsor based support group of the Outlaws.
The arrests came as a result of a raid on the Outlaws Motorcycle Club in Grand Falls-Windsor. There were approximately 30 people in the club at the time.
RCMP are not saying how much cocaine was seized at this time.
Among those arrested on the weekend are:
- Timothy Andrews, age 28 of Grand Falls Windsor, member of the Fallen Few
- One count Trafficking cocaine, s. 5(1) CDSA
- Ryan Ballard, age 28 of Grand Falls-Windsor, probate* (probationary) member of the Outlaws MC
- One count Trafficking cocaine, s. 5(1) CDSA
- Alonzo Brown, 62 years old of Peterview
- One count Trafficking cocaine, s. 5(1) CDSA
- Anthony Chow, age 33 of Grand Falls-Windsor, member of the Outlaws MC
- One count Trafficking cocaine, s. 5(1) Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA)
- Michael Hayes, age 22 of Grand Falls-Windsor, member of the Fallen Few
- Two counts Trafficking cocaine, s. 5(1) CDSA
- Tyson Higgins, age 27 of Botwood
- Two counts Trafficking cocaine, s. 5(1) CDSA
- Dean Langdon, age 25 of Grand Falls Windsor, member of the Fallen Few
- One count Trafficking cocaine, s. 5(1) CDSA
- Jimmy Lee Newman, age 36 of Grand Falls-Windsor, member of the Fallen Few
- One count Trafficking cocaine, s. 5(1) CDSA
More Arrests Anticipated
RCMP say the investigation continues and they anticipate the possibility of more arrests and charges.
RCMP say drug trafficking is responsible for broken lives and deaths. Staff Sergeant Stephan Thoms says outlaw motorcycle gangs have a devastating impact on society.
They try to pass themselves off as motorcycle enthusiasts who give back to the community, but he says that is false. The Canadian Integrated Response to Organized Crime has identified motorcycle gangs as the “single greatest threat” in Canada.
RCMP can’t say if the Outlaws Motorcycle Club has been disbanded in Grand Falls-Windsor, but they’ve made a serious impact.
Staff Sergeant Stefan Thoms says their operations have been disrupted for the time being.
The RCMP defines “1%er” as “An outlaw motorcycle gang member who wears a diamond shaped patch, pin or tattoo with 1% in the center, signifying that the wearer is an outlaw biker and someone who refuses to conform to the norms and laws of society.”
