Montreal

Operation SharQc: 18 Hells Angels plead guilty to conspiracy to commit murder

Eighteen Hells Angels members and associates pleaded guilty Monday to taking part in a conspiracy to commit murder. They were arrested as part of SharQc, a massive 2009 dragnet operation targeting organized crime.

Another five Hells Angels are expected to plead guilty Tuesday

Operation SharQc was a massive 2009 sweep of organized crime groups in Quebec and New Brunswick. (EdStock/iStock)

Eighteen Hells Angels members and associates pleaded guilty Monday to taking part in a conspiracy to commit murder. 

Another five are expected to plead guilty on Tuesday at the Gouin courthouse.

The guilty pleas mean they will avoid trial.

Some of the accused will be sentenced to time already served. 

The Hells Angels members were arrested as part of Operation SharQc, a massive sweep of Quebec and New Brunswick organized crime groups in 2009.

The raids targeted 156 people in all. 

About 1,200 officers from several police forces were involved in the raids, most of which took place in Quebec.

There are now only 27 people still awaiting trial from those indicted as part of SharQc, including 25 slated to appear as part of a mega-trial and another two scheduled to appear on their own over the next two months.