A major police operation called “Operation Clemenza” was launched against members of the Mafia in Canada. Raids took place in Montreal , Quebec City, and Laval Gatineau targeting more then 30 suspected members of the Italian mafia. The raids led by the RCMP were a direct result of messages that were intercepted by police between the mafia cell led by Antonio Bastone and Roberto Bastone known as the Bastone brothers and the Guiseppe De Vito cell. These two mob cells are described by the RCMP as being active and extremely violent. So far 26 of the 32 alleged mobsters targeted have been apprehended with the remaining six at large and currently being searched for by the RCMP.
The RCMP claims that the two mob cells emerged back in 2006 after the operation code named “Project Colisee” took down much of the mafia leadership leaving things in disarray. More then 70 alleged mobsters were arrested as part of Project Colisee including 16 of which believed to have been leaders in the Montreal mafia. Giuseppe De Vito a Rizzuto crime family associate was also targeted in Project Colisee along with former Montreal godfather Nicolo Rizzuto but was able to avoid arrest up until 2010. He was later found dead in his jail cell last year and a coroners report showed traces of cyanide in his blood leaving some to believe he may have been murdered as part of the ongoing Montreal mafia war.
It is believed that the mafia cell once led by De Vito may have now been led by two of his former lieutenants Giuseppe Setta and Alessandro Sucapana. These raids against the mafia are likely an attempt to calm the ongoing violence between factions of the mafia looking to take control after the death of long time Montreal mafia boss Vito Rizzuto and the weakening of the Rizzuto family.
Project Clemenza Arrest:
Awada, Ali, 26, (already in prison)
Barberio, Davide, 34, Terrebonne
Bastone, Antonio, 51, St. Jean de Matha
Bastone, Roberto, 41, Laval
Castronovo, Alberto, 32, Laval
Cecere, Steven, 27, St. Leonard
Conforti, Gina Linda, 37, St. Leonard
Di Marco, Michele, 43, Chertsey
Di Marco, Nicola, 45, St. Leonard
Dubé, Sophie, 42, St. Robert
Dumoulin-Richer, Yanie, 33, Saint Agapit
Fetta, Giuseppe, 34, Laval
Flores, Jaime, 48, Unknown address
Fosco, Dante, 52, Montreal North
Fosco, Mikel, 22, Barrie, Ontario
Hébert, Louis-Marie, 49, Terrebonne
Jetté, Robert, 41, Ste Adolphe d’Howard
Kachouh, Hicham, 37, Unknown address
Karounis, Mike Markos, 63, Montreal
Lafontaine, Luc, 48, (already in prison)
Léveillé, Guy, 78, St. Hyacinthe
Milhomme, Fenel, 29, Montreal
Paolucci, Marcello, 34, Terrebonne
Paparelli, Massimo, 26, Montreal North
Poux, Michael Andrew, 33, Mascouche
Silvano, Pasquale, 52, Laval
Sucapane, Alessandro, 49, Lorraine
Testani, Angelo, 36, Montreal
Tremblay Cazes, Frederic, 30, Montreal
