High-profile Hells Angels member arrested in Quebec

One of Quebec's top 10 most-wanted alleged criminals was arrested at a cottage in Saint-Michel-des-Saints, approximately 165 kilometres north of Montreal.

Police say Frédéric Landry-Hétu, 44, is a member of the Hells Angels' south chapter who had been sought on a Canada-wide warrant in connection to Operation SharQc since April 2009.

He faces 29 charges including drug trafficking, gangsterism and conspiracy to traffic drugs. According to the Quebec government's list of most-wanted criminals, Landry-Hétu faces 22 murder charges.

Police said Landry-Hétu did not resist Quebec provincial police during the arrest, which took place around midnight.

Daniel Renaud, a crime journalist for Quebec daily newspaper La Presse, said Landry-Hétu is a big catch for the Sûreté du Québec.

"Landry-Hétu is probably the most important Hells Angels [to have been] arrested in the last few years," said Renaud. "The police think that he was responsible [for gathering] the intelligence and the information about the enemies like the Rock Machine and other allies during the biker war in the nineties."

He said Landry-Hétu was responsible for introducing computer access in all of the Hells Angels' bunkers in Quebec.

"He was an [influential] member, not only in his chapter but in all of the organization," said Renaud.

Landry-Hétu appeared in court this afternoon via video-conference.

SharQc is an anti-criminal gang operation run by the Quebec provincial police, the RCMP and regional police forces.

Police have arrested a total of 144 suspected gang members since launching Operation SharQc and issued warrants for several others.

Authorities say they are still on the lookout for 12 more suspected gang members.