Since April 2022, the Quebec Provincial Police, Montreal Police, and Laval Police have conducted 19 arrests as part of a joint investigation after noticing similarities in 67 violent incidents that occurred in the past year in Laval, Montreal, and its northern suburbs.

‘‘Our goal is to unify the forces of the three police agencies, it is to end (the violence). The decrease (in violent cases) is not enough. (Our goal is) to put an end to this violence. Our dealers will not be threatened (again),’’ emphasized Inspector Kimon Christopoulos from the Major Crimes Division of Laval Police at a press conference.

These similarities in police reports revealed that in less than a year, more than 60 violent incidents were committed by members of Middle Eastern organized crime and street gangs. Their actions targeted merchants from Arab communities in Laval and Montreal.

In Laval, the incidents mainly took place in the Chomedey neighborhood, specifically around Curé-Labelle Boulevard. In Montreal, the incidents were concentrated in the west of the city, mainly in the Saint-Laurent neighborhood.

A large segment of the population in both neighborhoods mentioned are of Arab descent.

Also, most of the 19 people arrested by the three police agencies are known to them. The detainees collectively face several charges: possession of weapons, extortion operations, assault with a weapon, arson, drug possession, and violation of conditions.

For his part, Christopoulos explained that investigators were able to find the alleged criminals ‘‘by focusing on specific crimes related to arson, drug possession, and car theft.’’

Christopoulos noted that the ‘‘Éclipse’’ unit of the Laval Municipal Police last year conducted 98 visits related to ‘‘all incidents concerning the wave of violence’’ to restaurants, cafes, bars, and places serving tobacco to their patrons.

Also, to address the large number of criminal fires and assaults generally reported at night, the Montreal Municipal Police sent reinforcements to one of its centers in the Saint-Laurent neighborhood.

Montreal Police met with more than 500 neighborhood residents and business owners in about ten visits.

Christopoulos also revealed that other arrests and searches may occur ‘‘in the coming weeks, (or) coming months.’’