Winnipeg motorcycle gang busts shake up neighbours
CBC News
Posted: Feb 1, 2013 5:22 PM CST
Last Updated: Feb 1, 2013 7:13 PM CST
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The Rock Machine Motorcycle Club is no more, according to RCMP.
A major bust involving 11 arrests and a number of raids at homes and businesses across the city took place Wednesday. RCMP announced the victory Thursday morning.
Now, residents who lived near the raids are dealing with the shock.
Rosyln Nairn lives on Wellington Crescent, in the same apartment building as one of the men who is now facing charges for his alleged involvement in the motorcycle gang.
“It does surprise me to hear that there was someone in our building that was involved in this,” said Nairn.
She said she heard about parties in the summer that resulted in the building’s management tightening rules around who was let into the building.
She said the bust is good news, but she doesn’t think it’ll make much of a dent in Winnipeg’s drug trade.
“The fact that this group is gone off the streets, it doesn’t mean that there’s not going to be another one moving in anytime,” said Nairn.
Edwina Reeves-Mignon said the events raised questions about her family’s safety. She lives near a home on Armstrong Avenue that was raided for Rock Machine activity.
“I was surprised, very, very surprised,” said Reeves-Mignon. “I thought my kids were safe.”
She said after the raid, she’s going to keep a closer eye on her kids and reconsider how much time they get to play outside. “It’s a very big concern — the drugs and the guns. It’s a very, very big concern in Winnipeg,” she said.
CBC News visited six locations in the city where search warrants were executed. Many neighbours said they’re concerned for their safety in the areas going forward.
Feroze Barakat lives on Arden Street in St. Vital. Barakat has only been in the city for three months, having recently moved from Guyana. He said the raids will change the way he interacts with the community.
“We’ve basically been surviving here on trust. You just trust everyone you see because it’s such a quiet place,” said Barakat. “Now, with this happening, things start to creep into the head already.”
The first court date for the 11 charged is March 13.
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