Laval Police have made five arrests in connection to an alleged extortion ring targeting restaurants on the Montreal’s north shore.
The five men between the ages of 20 and 47 years old face charges of arson, mischief and assault with a weapon.
The incidents stem from early July. Police received a wave or complaints claiming men were extorting restaurants in the area.
According to Const. Stephanie Beshara of the Laval police department, the men would target restaurant owners in the Chomedey district offering them protection for money.
Owners who refused to comply would receive death threats against both them and their families.
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Beshara, fell short of saying how many businesses were targeted, only saying multiple complaints were filed and a handful of small fires were set.
READ MORE: Laval police charge 20-year-old driver in July fatal crash
In July, suspects Jean Jacques Tuelenake, Tommy Gabriel Collin-Arias and Majdi Benbaha, aged 20, 28 and 23, were said to have showed up to a party where one of the victims was attending to intimidate them.
The men then allegedly committed assault with a weapon and assault causing bodily harm, according to police.
Defendants Collin-Arias and Benbaha remain detained and Tuelenake was released with conditions.
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Isai Octavius, 20, is accused of having burned down, a restaurant located at 955 boul. Curé-Labelle, in October.
Octavius, appeared at the Laval courthouse and was released with conditions.
Marc Arthur Aurélien, 47, is currently detained and is accused of setting fire to a restaurant located at 1203 boul. Curé-Labelle.
READ MORE: Vehicle hit by gunfire in ‘targeted’ shooting, man dead on scene: Laval police
Laval police are calling on any person who may have been a victim or who has information concerning these acts of extortion and death threats to call the Info-police Line confidentially at 450 662-INFO (4636) or dial 911 and mention the file LVL-220826086.
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