Alleged Hells Angel charged in New Brunswick-Quebec cocaine trafficking probe

A northwestern New Brunswick man, identified by RCMP as a longtime member of the Hells Angels outlaw motorcycle gang, has becomethe 15th person to be arrestedas part of an investigation into cocaine trafficking in the province.

Emery Joseph Martin, 57, of Sainte-Anne-de-Madawaska was arrested Monday in hisvehicleon the Trans-Canada Highway, nearRivire-Verte,around 9:30 a.m., Cpl.JullieRogers-Marsh said in a statement.

Martin,known by the nickname Pit, appeared in Bathurst provincial court later in the dayto face 10 drug-related charges.

"This significant arrest and charges are the result of the continuing effort by theRCMPto dismantle organized crime in New Brunswick, specifically the Hells Angels and other outlaw motorcycle groups," Rogers-Marsh said.

The charges against Martininclude:

• Conspiracy to traffic in cocaine.
• Trafficking in cocaine.
• Conspiracy to possess cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.
• Possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.
• Conspiracy to launder proceeds of crime.
• Laundering proceeds of crime.
• Conspiracy to possess proceeds of crime.
• Possession of proceeds of crime.
• Commission of an offence for criminal organization.
• Instructing the commission of offence for criminal organization.

Martin remains remanded in custody and is scheduled to return to court Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.

• Arrest warrant issued for Quebec man due in Bathurst court in Hells Angels-linked case
• 14th person arrested in Hells Angels-linked drug investigation
• Bathurst middle school teacher accused of cocaine trafficking

Fourteen other people have been arrested in the past couple ofmonths as part of OperationJ-Thunder, targetingthe sale of cocaine on the Acadian Peninsula and inRestigouche,Madawaskaand Victoria counties in northern New Brunswick.

None of the others who have been charged are members of the Hells Angels outlaw motorcycle gang, according to police, but theRCMP New Brunswick Federal and Serious Organized Crime Unit determined the drugs entering the province were linked to the Hells Angels in Quebec.

The investigation started in November 2016.