MONTREAL — The alleged leader of a notorious street gang that is involved in brutal turf wars in Quebec during which victims have been tortured and have had their limbs amputated is the most-wanted fugitive in Canada.
Dave "Pik" Turmel of the Blood Family Mafia is the new number 1 suspect of the Bolo Program, Quebec provincial police said Wednesday.
The Bolo Program is operated by a Canadian charity in partnership with the country's police forces to alert the public about dangerous criminals. Representatives from police forces from across Canada gathered Wednesday at the Quebec provincial police headquarters in Montreal to discuss their respective cases, as they released the Bolo Program's updated list of the 25 most-wanted criminals in Canada.
Turmel, 28, is wanted by Quebec City police for drug trafficking, conspiracy, and armed assault. An award of up to $250,000 is being offered until June 3, 2025, for any information leading to his arrest. The Bolo Program says Turmel's gang has targeted outlaw motorcycle groups to compete for control over drug trafficking in Quebec.
"This conflict has been marked by sordid crimes such as murder and the use of the most barbaric methods of intimidation, including torture sessions and limb amputations, some of which have been broadcast on social media networks," says the entry for Turmel on the Bolo Program's website.
The second most-wanted fugitive is All Boivin, 35, who police say is Turmel's close associate and is also involved in the violent drug-related turf wars that have erupted in Quebec.
Boivin is wanted by provincial police for numerous drug-related offences, including trafficking, conspiracy to traffic, and possession for the purpose of trafficking. An award of up to $250,000 is being offered until June 3, 2025, for information leading to his arrest.
Turmel and Boivin "represent violence itself, encourage violence itself, and are very influential in their circles," Denis Turcotte, chief of the Quebec City police service, told reporters in Montreal.
Maxime Langlois, director of the Bolo Program, said the most-wanted list focuses on criminals who Canadian authorities think are still in the country. There are rumours, however, that Turmel has left Canada, Langlois said.
"Wherever he is, he seems to be pulling the strings on a lot of the things happening in our communities," he said.
Rounding out the top 5 most-wanted fugitives is Rabih Alkhalil, who escaped a pretrial detention centre east of Vancouver in 2022 and is wanted by the RCMP for murder; Adrian Walker, wanted by the Toronto Police Service for first-degree murder and attempted murder; and Phillip Grant, wanted by Toronto police for murder.
The Bolo Program — BOLO stands for "be on the lookout" — is the result of a partnership with the RCMP and many other Canadian police forces, and run by the Stéphan Crétier Foundation, named after its founder, who is the chairman, president and CEO of GardaWorld Security Corporation.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 4, 2024.
The Canadian Press
