Quebec invests $66M to combat organized crime and gun violence
New RESPECT strategy targets criminal networks with increased prosecutor funding and intelligence teams across the province.
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Quebec is launching a three-year, $66 million offensive against organized crime and gun violence under a strategy called RESPECT — Effective Public Safety Response to Curb Organized Crime and Illegal Trafficking.
The province announced the plan Monday, directing $52.6 million to the Ministry of Internal Security and $3.4 million to the Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions. The funding will secure existing expertise in organized crime intelligence and deploy specialized investigators to combat armed violence.
Internal Security Minister Ian Lafrenière said criminal groups are "unashamedly flaunting their presence" and recruiting young people to carry out their operations. "Their methods are evolving. So are ours," he said. "With RESPECT, we are equipping ourselves with concrete tools to directly target these unscrupulous individuals."
About 30 prosecutors will now focus specifically on cases involving gun violence and organized crime networks. Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette noted the province also plans to continue destabilizing criminal organizations and strengthening the specialized prosecution teams handling these cases.
