Pubdate: Fri, 04 Dec 2009 Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC) Copyright: 2009 The Vancouver Sun Contact: http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/letters.html Website: http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477 Author: Mike McIntyre, Canwest News Service Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?188 (Outlaw Bikers) EX-COP AMONG TARGETS IN UNDERCOVER STING Former RCMP Officer A Hells Angels Associate Before He Was Arrested One target of a major undercover police sting operation was a former Manitoba RCMP officer who gave up the badge and later became a high-ranking Hells Angels associate, according to court documents obtained by the Winnipeg Free Press. Wayne Shuttleworth hid his policing past from fellow Zig Zag Crew members, knowing it would be an automatic ticket to rejection from the gang. But his secret became public on Thursday after a series of arrest warrants were filed with the Court of Queen's Bench. The documents revealed numerous aspects of Operation DIVIDE, the 13-month organized crime probe that relied heavily on the services of a former gang member turned police informant known only as "Agent 22." The identity of the informant hasn't been disclosed publicly, but it was not Shuttleworth. The informant is currently being relocated under witness protection. Cpl. Jonathan Morrisseau of Manitoba's Integrated Organized Crime Task Force wrote in an affidavit the investigation targeted "upper echelon drug dealers and their associates in Winnipeg, Surrey and Burnaby, B.C." Police authorized the arrests this week of 34 suspects -- including every single Zig Zag member -- and executed two dozen search warrants at various locations including the Hells Angels Winnipeg clubhouse. More than 300 RCMP and police from Winnipeg, Brandon, Man., Ste. Anne, Man., and B.C. were involved. Shuttleworth, 39, was arrested at his Winnipeg home early Wednesday by heavily armed members of the Emergency Response Team. He has been charged with participating in a criminal organization, trafficking a firearm, possession of proceeds of crime and conspiracy to money laundering. Police identified Shuttleworth in court documents as a full-patch member of the Zig Zag Crew, the so-called puppet club of the Hells Angels. The documents said Shuttleworth was an RCMP officer between 1991 and 1994 who had extensive firearm training and "an ongoing interest in firearms." Police records showed Shuttleworth had registered a 12-gauge shotgun and .22 calibre semi-automatic rifle, which were believed to be in his home. That caused investigators some anxiety when asking the court to obtain a "no knock" warrant that allowed them to storm into Shuttleworth's home without warning. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D