The Laval Police Dept. says investigators with its organized crime unit proceeded during the last few days of July to execute a warrant while making three arrests when dealing with two separate dossiers involving recent urban violence in Laval.
On July 27, LPD officers with help from the Montreal Police Dept. arrested Algo Bryan Fotso Youmby, age18, in Laval, while also seizing a firearm and quantities of narcotics.
According to the LPD, Fotso was known to the police for his associations with criminals, most notably members of gangs on rue de Laval.
During the operation, a polymer P80 handgun was seized, as well as a Glock ammunition clip containing 13 9mm rounds, along with two iPhones, a laptop computer, a handbag, and 2.20 grams of crack wrapped in 19 wrappers.
Algo Bryan Fotso Youmby faces charges of firearms possession as well as possession of crack. He was arraigned at the Laval courthouse on Aug. 2.
On July 31, during an interception related to routine road safety checks, LPD officers stopped a vehicle with two occupants. After verifications, they arrested the 45-year-old driver for firearms possession, possession of narcotics, breaking court-imposed conditions and possession of fake I.D. documents.
A 29-year-old female passenger was also arrested for firearms possession, narcotics possession and breach of conditions. A search of the suspects and of the vehicle also led to the seizure of a revolver, eight rounds of ammunition, and narcotics that included 23 tablets of amphetamine.
Both were arraigned at the Laval courthouse and remained detained until their next court appearance.
Laval man among those busted for drugs by RCMP
On July 5, an RCMP investigation resulted in charges laid against three individuals, including one from Laval, involved in money laundering with suspected ties to Colombian criminal organizations.
The three individuals are Yan Trépanier, 49 years old, from Laval; Andrew Barera, 35 years old, from Montréal; and Michael-Joey D’Opéra, 27 years old, from Laval.
The Integrated Proceeds of Crime investigation, launched in March 2020 in response to a tip from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), revealed that these individuals laundered more than $18 million in less than a year.
Search warrants executed in July 2021 resulted in police officers seizing $46,000 in cash, prohibited firearms and devices, a silencer and bookkeeping notebooks.
The investigation was conducted in collaboration with the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC), Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and the Forensic Accounting Management Group (FAMG).
The three accused persons appeared on July 15 at the Montréal courthouse. Charges of laundering proceeds of crime, conspiracy to import and possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking, and possession of prohibited firearms and devices were filed in the case.
Suspect in Montreal and Laval shootings was deemed dangerous but released
According to court documents, 26-year-old Abdulla Shaikh -killed by police Thursday August 4th, during a massive operation at a Motel near Marcel Laurin Blvd., was released from a mental health facility even though a psychiatrist deemed him a “significant risk to public safety”.
The documents, which were obtained by Radio-Canada, also show that Abdulla Shaikh had been previously diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Following recommendations, the Tribunal Administratif du Québec — which handles cases that are related to mental illness — ordered Shaikh to be released in March 2022 from a psychiatric facility, under conditions.
The release conditions were imposed to make sure health authorities could monitor Shaikh’s progress.
At that time, Shaikh’s condition had been improving, the ruling reads. But the tribunal said he could resort to “unpredictable and aggressive” acts if his mental illness worsened.
“Without a legal and therapeutic framework, his situation would deteriorate and bring about the return of the context for dangerous [behaviours],” the tribunal’s ruling reads.
Police believe the 26-year-old man fatally shot two men in Montreal Tuesday night August 2nd and another the following night in Laval. The victims had no chance since they were shot in the head.
Shaikh had had several run-ins with the law, including charges of sexual assault, assault causing bodily harm and uttering threats, according to the court documents. In 2018, he was arrested trespassing at the Montreal airport several days in a row.
In one instance, the court documents show, Shaikh was in a restricted zone at the airport and burned his passport with a lighter. In November of that year, he was deemed to be not criminally responsible for his actions. Shortly after, he was diagnosed with schizophrenia.
As part of his release, the tribunal ordered Shaikh to respect the following conditions: live in a home approved by the hospital, follow the recommendations of the team treating his condition, refrain from using drugs, keep the peace and submit to urine tests when asked. The March ruling also gave the regional health board in Laval the authority to tighten the conditions of his release.
The written ruling ends with a mention that Shaikh’s case would be reviewed and a new hearing would take place within the year that followed.
Shaikh’s brother, who acknowledged the suspect’s mental health issues but also said he does not believe the 26-year-old was responsible for this week’s fatal shootings.
According to preliminary information given to Quebec’s police watchdog, the Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes (BEI), Montreal police officers were confronted by a man with a firearm during Thursday’s operation. Shots were fired and Shaikh died at the scene.
His death means there are now two investigations: one looking into the three fatal shootings on Tuesday and Wednesday that has now been taken over by the Sûreté du Québec’s major crimes unit, and another that will focus on the actions of Montreal police (SPVM) during the operation that killed Shaikh. A spokesperson for the SQ said a big part of its investigation is trying to establish a motive for the random’s killings.
