Alleged Hells Angel charged in New Brunswick-Quebec cocaine trafficking probe

A northwestern New Brunswick man, identified by RCMP as a longtime member of the Hells Angels outlaw motorcycle gang, has become the 15th person to be arrested as part of an investigation into cocaine trafficking in the province.

Emery Joseph Martin, 57, of Sainte-Anne-de-Madawaska was arrested Monday in his vehicle on the Trans-Canada Highway, near Rivière-Verte, around 9:30 a.m., Cpl. Jullie Rogers-Marsh said in a statement.

Martin, known by the nickname Pit, appeared in Bathurst provincial court later in the day to face 10 drug-related charges.

Emery (Pit) Martin, 57, of Sainte-Anne-de-Madawaska is 15th person to be arrested in Operation J-Thunder.

None of the other 14 people charged during the continuing drug investigation are members of the Hells Angels outlaw motorcycle gang, according to the RCMP, but police believe they are linked to outlaw motorcycle gangs in New Brunswick and Quebec. (CBC
"This significant arrest and charges are the result of the continuing effort by the RCMP to dismantle organized crime in New Brunswick, specifically the Hells Angels and other outlaw motorcycle groups," Rogers-Marsh said.

The charges against Martin include:

• 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.
• Conspiracy to launder proceeds of crime.
• Laundering proceeds of crime.
• Conspiracy to possess proceeds of crime.
• Possession of proceeds of crime.
• Commission of an offence for criminal organization.
• Instructing the commission of offence for criminal organization.

Martin remains remanded in custody and is scheduled to return to court Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.

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• Bathurst middle school teacher accused of cocaine trafficking (link is external)

Fourteen other people have been arrested in the past couple of months as part of Operation J-Thunder, targeting the sale of cocaine on the Acadian Peninsula and in Restigouche, Madawaska and Victoria counties in northern New Brunswick.

None of the others who have been charged are members of the Hells Angels outlaw motorcycle gang, according to police, but the RCMP New Brunswick Federal and Serious Organized Crime Unit determined the drugs entering the province were linked to the Hells Angels in Quebec.

The investigation started in November 2016.


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