Eight men and one woman from New Brunswick are each facing numerous charges following a drug trafficking investigation in the northern part of the province.
The arrests were made this week and all nine were charged with various offences in Bathurst court today including committing an offence for a criminal organization, trafficking in cocaine and laundering proceeds of crime.
RCMP say the investigation into the trafficking of cocaine began in 2016 and police have since seized about $900,000 in cash and 5.5 kilograms of cocaine.
Investigators determined the drugs were linked to the Hells Angels in Quebec.
Those accused are not members of the Hells Angels but police believe they are linked to other outlaw motorcycle gangs in New Brunswick and Quebec.
Marcel Friolet, 58, Allardville, N.B., Éric Degrâce, 43, Évangéline, N.B. and Danny Smith, 45, Allardville, N.B. have each been charged with:
Commission of offence for criminal organization
Instructing commission of offence for criminal organization
Conspiracy to traffic in cocaine
Trafficking in cocaine
Conspiracy to possess cocaine for the purpose of trafficking
Possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking
Laundering proceeds of crime
Possession of the proceeds of crime
Julie Michaud, 35, Allardville, N.B. has been charged with:
Conspiracy to traffic in cocaine
Trafficking in cocaine
Conspiracy to possess cocaine for the purpose of trafficking
Possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking
Laundering proceeds of crime
Possession of the proceeds of crime
Éric Doucet, 40, and John Watson, 55, both from Allardville, N.B. have each been charged with:
Commission of offence for criminal organization
Trafficking in cocaine
Possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking
Laundering proceeds of crime
Possession of the proceeds of crime
Daniel Duguay, 58, Saint-Irénée-et-Alderwood, N.B. and Jason Poirier, 40, Inkerman, N.B. have each been charged with:
Trafficking in cocaine
Possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking
Gabriel Friolet, 65, Allardville, N.B. has been charged with:
Laundering proceeds of crime
Possession of the proceeds of crime
Marcel Friolet, Éric Degrâce and Danny Smith have all been remanded in custody until their next court appearance on May 30 at 1:30 pm.
Julie Michaud, Éric Doucet, John Watson, Jason Poirier, Daniel Duguay and Gabriel Friolet have been released on conditions and are scheduled to return to court on May 28.
