As much as Phoenix Jones and real-life “super-hero” vigilantes have made recent news reports, it seems that Canadian criminals are inspired by comics too… Marvel Comics.
A major police operation went down in the early hours of the morning across Canada on December 13th.
Here’s what is known:
‘Comic book’ gang raids nab 60 people across the country
Some of the alleged gang members rounded up across the country Tuesday in a series of early-morning raids were youths not much beyond the comic-book-reading age.
Of the 60 arrests, 10 of the accused are 17 and under, and some may even be as young as 14, police said.
In fact, they are so young that police nicknamed their investigation Project Marvel as many gang members took on the names of Marvel Comics superheroes…
…In one of the largest joint-forces operations ever in Canada, more than 900 officers across the country executed 67 search warrants and arrested 60 people. By the time everyone is processed, police expect more than 300 charges will be laid…
…What is different about these gangs is how widespread they became, moving beyond Ontario and into western cities such as Fort McMurray, Alta., and Surrey, B.C.
…The gangs were “well organized and ruthless,” said Supt. Chris White, who leads the organized crime unit in Toronto.
