The current issue of the Laval News, volume 33-01, published on January 8th, 2025.
Covering Laval local news, politics, and sports.
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Laval News Volume 33-01
Laval man among five arrested in Toronto for alleged bank card thefts
A 44-year-old male resident of Laval is one of five suspects facing nearly 100 charges in Toronto for allegedly participating in a criminal ring involved in the theft of credit and banking cards from elderly victims in retail store settings.
Toronto Police Service investigators allege the suspects lingered at banks and retail stores between Sunday Dec. 10, 2023 and Saturday Oct. 19, 2024 for the express purpose of stealing bank and credit cards from unwitting persons.
According to the TPS, the suspects targeted the elderly using a variety of techniques to clandestinely obtain personal identification numbers (PINs) while stealing wallets containing credit and bank cards.
The suspects would then go to bank branches where they would withdraw funds.
These would in turn be used to buy pre-paid credit cards which would be applied to the purchase of expensive electronics and other luxury items.
A search warrant executed by the Toronto Police led to the seizure of the following items:
• Eight iPhone 15 Pro Max smartphones
• 50 smartwatches
• 56 bottles of designer perfume
• 21 fraudulent pre-paid credit cards worth $10,500
• $23,000 Canadian cash
• Lock-picking tools
• 32 provincial lottery tickets
• Two foil-lined “booster” bags (used to bypass electronic anti-theft detection)
• Multiple fake passports
• And four fraudulently-obtained vehicles identified as shipped overseas worth about $250,000
In all, five persons (two men and three women), are facing charges.
They are: Virgil Barbu, 44, of Laval, Constantin Florian, 39, of Montreal, Aura-Floria Florian, 40, of no fixed address, Dumitrita Pauniou, 49, of Milton, and Eugen Catruna, 52, of no fixed address.
Laval’s firefighters began the new year with two fires and a dog rescue
While many Laval residents were having a well-deserved break during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, Laval Fire Dept. personnel were busy dealing with emergencies that included two house fires and a rescue operation on the Rivière-des-Prairies involving a couple of stranded dogs.
In the first of the fires, a home on 69th Ave. in Chomedey was seriously damaged by flames and smoke on the evening of December 31 following a blaze believed to have broken out as a result of incense embers spilling onto a carpet.
Flames spread quickly throughout the mostly-wooden structure of the building. One person ended up being taken to hospital.
Damage to the building was estimated at $200,000 (a possible insurance write-off), with an additional $50,000 in damages to interior furnishings.
in the second fire, this time around 1:30 am on January 2, a two-storey residential building on de Galais Ave., a few blocks east of 69th Ave., suffered around $50,000 in structural damages and $10,000 damages to furnishings, as a result of a fire that was set off by an overheated electrical connection.
Firefighters determined the source of the blaze to have been in the kitchen of the upstairs unit of the building.
Finally, on the afternoon of January 1, the Laval Fire Dept. was called in to rescue two dogs which had wandered out onto the half-frozen ice on the Rivière-des-Prairies and were unable to get back to safety without expert help.
They were “returned safe and sound to their owner,” the Association des Pompiers de Laval reported on their X feed.
Laval among the Quebec cities caught up in outbreak of measles
The City of Laval is just one of several municipalities in or near the Montreal region where the Quebec Health and Social Services Ministry is monitoring outbreaks of measles.
According to the provincial ministry, four cases of measles have been traced to outbreaks that started in early December in Laval and Montreal, on the region’s North Shore in Sainte-Thérèse, Saint-Eustache, Deux-Montagnes and Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac, as well as in Saint-Jérôme in the Lower Laurentians.
The ministry is also advising that anyone who was a passenger on EXO public transit’s bus line 88 (Saint-Eustache-Sainte-Thérèse) on December 24 may have been exposed to measles and should monitor for symptoms until mid-January.
The symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and general malaise, followed by rashes on the face and body.
Measles, which is highly contagious, is spread by coughing or sneezing into the air. It can also be transmitted by touching the eyes, nose, or mouth after being in contact with an infected surface.
Although measles outbreaks in Canada are rare, owing to high immunization coverage, measles outbreaks are often associated with travel (referred to sometimes as “measles importations”).
According to a Quebec Health Ministry spokesperson, the first case of the most recent outbreak here resulted from exposure to a person residing outside Canada who travelled to Quebec during the contagious period.
If you are experiencing symptoms of measles, your are advised to stay at home and call your health care provider or local public health unit immediately.
Be sure to notify them prior to your arrival so that the appropriate precautions can be taken to prevent the spread of measles.
Laval Police release year-end criminal activity stats
Although there were significantly fewer car thefts and gunfire incidents in Laval last year, fraud cases increased, according to a year-end report filed by the Laval Police Dept.
Some highlights from the report:
- There were two murders and two attempted homicides in 2024 (up to early December), compared to five murders and 11 attempts during the same period in 2023;
- Stolen car incidents dropped by 38 per cent;
- Fraud cases have risen by 37 per cent since 2021, according to the LPD;
- There were 23 incidents involving the illegal discharge of firearms in Laval in 2024, compared to 11 the year before;
- 16 arrests related to firearms were made in 2024, and 31 firearms were seized, compared to 53 seized firearms in 2023.
Jean-François Rousselle, assistant-director of the Laval Police, told the Montreal daily La Presse that the LPD believes a wave of arson attacks at local restaurants, accompanied by extortion threats against owners, may have been perpetrated by relatively new criminal gangs fighting for territory against larger more experienced entities like the Mafia and the Hells Angels.
“We get the feeling there are other groups seeking their own space, especially as regards the extortion phenomenon,” said Rousselle.
Police seek info from potential victims of Laval teacher charged with sex crime
A Laval man who taught at two Laval-area schools has been charged by police in the North Shore community of Blainville with sexual assault against a minor.
The Blainville Police allege that François Durocher, age 60, assaulted a minor sometime between 2002 and 2005.
Arraigned late last week at the Palais de Justice in Saint-Jérôme, Durocher taught at École secondaire Curé-Antoine-Labelle in Sainte Rose, as well as at École primaire Villemaire also in Sainte-Rose.
The Blainville Police are inviting potential victims of the former teacher to come forward with additional information.
Anyone with information is asked to call 450-434-5305, extension #7250.
Student reps sworn in on SWLSB’s Council of Commissioners
The Council of Commissioners of the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board (SWLSB) recently welcomed three student representatives as members.
Maya Lavictoire from Lake of Two Mountains High School, Anthonia Oluwadarasimi Adedeji also from Lake of Two Mountains High School and Andressa Reginato from CDC Pont-Viau were officially sworn in at the regular council meeting held on December 12.
The student representatives were elected by their peers during the Central Students’ Committee (CSC) meeting held on December 3.
As active members of the CSC, according to a statement issued by the SWLSB, “they will bring forward the student perspective to council discussions and decisions, ensuring that the voices of the SWLSB student body are heard.”
The initiative stems from the SWLSB’s Student Representation Policy, adopted in 2021, whose aim is to introduce students to democratic processes, while encouraging student engagement and promoting leadership opportunities.
Under the policy, says the SWLSB, student representatives “may provide valuable input on matters discussed by the council while gaining firsthand experience in governance.”
The Central Students’ Committee is chaired by Commissioner Benny Catania, with SEAC Parent Commissioner Elena Ferrato serving as vice-chair. Commissioners Heather Appleby and Noémia Onofre De Lima also sit on the committee.
“The presence of student representatives on the Council of Commissioners is a testament to our commitment to fostering student engagement and leadership,” said SWLSB chairman James Di Sano.
“These three exceptional students will not only gain valuable experience but will also provide us with meaningful insights into the realities and priorities of our students,” he continued.
“We look forward to working with Maya, Anthonia, and Andressa as Council continues to prioritize student success and well-being in all our decisions.”
Toronto-area police arrest two from Laval in car theft crackdown
Peel Regional Police, which serves a large portion of the greater Toronto area, has announced the arrest of two individuals from Laval who are part of a group of suspects taken into custody to face more than 100 criminal charges relating to what the PRP describe as “a well-coordinated car theft ring” based in Quebec.
The PRP says that on Oct. 30, Marie Mallous, a 28-year-old woman from Laval, was arrested and charged with eight auto theft related criminal offences.
She was held for a bail hearing and appeared before the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton.
Also on Oct.30, Abdullah Farooq, a 22-year-old man Laval, was arrested and charged by the Toronto Police Service in relation to the investigation.
According to the PRP, an arrest warrant has been issued for Steven Trottier, a 22-year-old man also from Laval, for eight auto theft related criminal offences.
The alleged car thefts are all believed to have been committed in and around the Toronto Pearson International Airport.
The suspected stolen vehicles – 2022-2024 Lexus SUVs, Toyota Tundras, Sequoias and Highlanders as well as Ram pickup trucks – were targeted.
Peel Police says that from August to November, a coordinated operation took place.
In all, six suspects from Quebec were arrested, arrest warrants for five outstanding suspects have been issued, and several residential search warrants were executed in Toronto, yielding computer programming equipment, master keys and signal-jamming devices.
Anyone with any information is being asked to contact investigators at Airport Division Criminal Investigation Bureau at 905-453-2121 extension 3133.
Information may also be left anonymously by calling Peel Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or visiting www.peelcrimestoppers.ca.
LPD seeks help ID’ing sex assault on minors suspect
The Laval Police are seeking the public’s help to identify a suspect recently arrested for alleged sexual assaults committed against minors.
According to the LPD, Steve Haddad, age 35, was taken into custody to be processed following allegations of sex crimes committed over the past year.
The charges include child luring, sexual contact, incitement to sexual contact and sexual assault. The LPD believe there may be additional victims.
According to a statement issued last week by the LPD, Haddad, who was arraigned at the Laval Palais de Justice, made initial contact with adolescents through social media.
After gaining their trust, he allegedly would ask them to send him cell phone photos of themselves in sexual poses. The victims were in various regions of Quebec.
Anyone who believes they may have been one of the victims is being by the LPD to call the police Info-Line at 450 662-INFO (4636), or 9-1-1. The file number is LVL 240903-049.
Two Laval business owners convicted of tax evasion
Two business owners from Laval were recently sentenced to pay more than a half-million dollars in fines after being found guilty of evading payment of taxes owed to Revenu Québec, the province’s tax collection agency.
Fadi Khoury and Maria Poroshina were found liable for more than $500,641 in unpaid tax, with Khoury receiving an additional 12-month prison sentence.
Both ran an employment agency for factory workers. Each will have to pay more than $250,000.
The court found that Poroshina was acting as a front for Khoury who ran a business under a numbered company name.
She acknowledged having taken steps to avoid paying federal and provincial sales tax on products and services, while he admitted filing tax forms containing false or misleading information with federal and provincial tax authorities.
Hellenics pay their respects to Greek-Canadian veterans at National Field of Honour
More than 40 Canadian Forces heroes honoured during traditional ‘Trisagion’ ceremony
A dozen or so families from the Montreal Hellenic community paid homage on Saturday Dec. 7 to more than 40 Greek-Canadian veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces whose remains lay buried at the National Field of Honour on Montreal’s West Island.
Hosted by Lac-Saint-Louis Liberal MP Francis Scarpaleggia and Vimy Liberal MP Annie Koutrakis, the traditional Greek Orthodox “Trisagion” service honored the memory of 44 Greek-Canadian heroes.
First time, but not the last
Although it was the first time a ceremony was held for Greek-Canadian veterans of Canada’s military at the National Field of Honour, the organizers have pledged to turn it into an annual event.
“Before today, we’ve never done a ceremony to recognize Greek veterans buried here,” Koutrakis said in an interview with Newsfirst Multimedia.
“And being of the Greek community, I thought what a wonderful way to pay our respects and let people know that there are 44 Greek veterans and family members buried here,” she added.
“I know that the families we reached out to are thrilled to be here,” said Koutrakis, noting that students from the Socrates-Demosthenes School were among those who turned up to pay their respects.
Upkeeping the cemetery
Koutrakis and Scarpaleggia have been working closely with The Last Post Fund. a non-profit dedicated to ensuring no veteran is denied a dignified funeral and burial. It was while focusing on this task that the two MPs became aware of the Greek-Canadian veterans buried at the Field of Honour.
Organizers have pledged to turn the ceremony into an annual event
They want to help smooth the way for the federal government to take on more of the Last Post foundation’s responsibilities for upkeeping the military cemetery in Pointe Claire.
The National Field of Honour isn’t owned by the federal government, even though it is the largest military cemetery in Canada and the remains of thousands of Canadian war veterans are buried there.
Canada’s largest vets’ cemetery
Since 1930, the Last Post Fund has been the exclusive operator of the National Field of Honour, although the federal government provides subsidies.
The Last Post Fund’s primary mandate is to deliver Veterans Affairs Canada’s Funeral and Burial Program which provides funeral, burial and grave marking benefits for eligible Canadian and Allied Veterans.
The Last Post Fund is supported financially by Veterans Affairs Canada and by private donations. The LPF’s Unmarked Grave Program provides military markers for unmarked Veterans’ graves.
