Restaurant extortion: ‘Major police operation’ sees 13 suspects arrested in Greater Montreal area

Montreal police (SPVM) conducted a major operation Wednesday morning in several locations across the Greater Montreal area in relation to the alleged extortion of restaurant owners.

Thirteen people were arrested, with 15 searches carried out.

“Three of the suspects arrested are believed to be directly linked to a series of extortion crimes targeting the owners of two downtown Montreal restaurants and members of their entourage,” wrote the SPVM in a press release on Wednesday afternoon.

The three main suspects arrested are men aged 25, 34 and 39, as well as eight men and two women between the ages of 28 and 44.

“Members of these cells were also involved in other criminal activities, such as drug trafficking. Today’s searches yielded three firearms, half a kilo of cocaine, half a kilo of crystal methamphetamine, thousands of speed tablets, nearly $120,000 in cash and other evidence.”

About 150 officers were involved in the operation in seven Montreal boroughs, including at a garage in Lachine, as well as Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Châteauguay and Laval.

For several months, numerous businesses in the city have been the target of shootings and arson attacks, often at night.

According to media reports, restaurant owners have been asked for up to several thousand dollars a month by criminals, or their businesses will be targeted.

“Extortion, intimidation against small businesses in Montreal is absolutely unacceptable,” said Luc Rabouin, the City of Montreal executive committee member responsible for economic development. “And we want to say to all our small businesses that we are with them, they’re not alone. And the SPVM is on action and we have 13 arrests. So that is a real proof, tangible proof that we are helping them and we want to protect them and support them in this period. And we want to stop this phenomenon.

“There is no place for these crimes here in Montreal and we will not tolerate anything like that here in the future, right now and in the future.”

The operation was jointly led by the South Region Multi-Sector Firearms Team (EMAF) and the South Region Narcotics Unit, with support from several specialized SPVM units and neighbourhood police stations. “The SPVM was also able to count on the support of the Sûreté du Québec and the Service de police de Châteauguay.”

“Today’s operation targeted individuals who allegedly orchestrated crimes of violence and intimidation against restaurant owners and members of their entourage. We’re talking about individuals who would be at a higher level than just executors,” explained Major Pierre-Marc Houle, head of the South Region Project Investigation Section.

The seven Montreal boroughs targeted by Wednesday’s operation were Lachine, LaSalle, Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, Rivière-des-Prairies-Pointe-aux-Trembles, Sud-Ouest, Verdun and Ville-Marie.

“The three main suspects arrested […] are allegedly linked to a series of extortion crimes targeting the owners of two Ville-Marie borough restaurants and members of their entourage. One of these crimes occurred on Feb. 12, 2025, when bullet holes were found in the glass facade of a restaurant on Sainte-Catherine west, near De Bleury, and shell casings were found on the ground. The other restaurant they owned was also targeted, as was the residence of one of the co-owners,” explained police.

The SPVM’s investigation also revealed the involvement of two independent cells that they say allegedly attempted to extort the same restaurant owners.

Some of the 13 suspects arrested Wednesday will appear in court within the next 24 hours. The others will be released on a promise to appear, with strict conditions to be met.

“It is important to remember that the criminal investigation is continuing, as is the analysis of all the evidence gathered so far by the investigators. Further arrests cannot be ruled out. A complete file will be submitted to the Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions for authorization of the charges to be laid against the suspects arrested today,” wrote the SPVM.

Anyone with information is invited to call 911 or their local police station. It is also possible to contact Info-Crime Montréal anonymously and confidentially at 514 393-1133 or via the reporting form available at infocrimemontreal.ca.

“Today’s operation demonstrates that when events of intimidation against merchants are brought to our attention, the SPVM is able to strike effective blows against the criminals responsible. We have other investigations underway concerning similar events, and we are confident that they will lead to additional arrests,” concluded Commandant Houle.