Crown prosecutors asserted on Tuesday that the evidence against an alleged senior member of the Hells Angels is compelling, despite efforts to hide his role as a key figure in a drug trafficking network. Damion Ryan, accused of trafficking methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl, and participating in a conspiracy to profit from criminal activities with the Wolfpack gang and Hells Angels, faced closing arguments by Crowns Janna Hyman and Kate Henley in a Winnipeg court.
Hyman emphasized to Justice Chris W. Martin that the evidence unequivocally demonstrates an ongoing conspiracy among the individuals involved in trafficking various illicit substances. The prosecution’s case largely revolves around proving that recent police evidence implicates Ryan under multiple aliases as the orchestrator of a trafficking network.
Ryan, labeled a Wolfpack gang member by the RCMP, was part of a massive pan-provincial drug trafficking investigation called Project Divergent, resulting in over $70 million worth of seized drugs and various paraphernalia associated with the Hells Angels and Wolfpack. The prosecution presented evidence linking Ryan to aliases such as Big Homie, Polar Bear, and Mr. Wolf through intercepted calls and messages, arguing that they all point to Ryan’s involvement.
The trial has revealed the role of an informant, known as Agent 66, who assisted the RCMP in building a case against Ryan. Paid by the RCMP and under witness protection, Agent 66 played a crucial role in connecting Ryan to other alleged conspirators involved in drug trafficking schemes.
The court heard how Ryan, through various aliases, communicated with accomplices about drug deals using coded language to refer to substances. Testimonies presented during the trial highlighted the connections between Ryan, Agent 66, and other individuals involved in the drug trafficking network. The prosecution argued that the intercepted communications and meetings conclusively implicate Ryan and his associates in the criminal conspiracy.
The defense is expected to challenge the expert police testimonies during their upcoming closing arguments. The case underscores the complex web of criminal activities and the challenges in prosecuting high-level organized crime members involved in drug trafficking.