Alleged accomplice of Quebec gang leader Dave 'Pic' Turmel arrested in B.C.

Guillaume St-Louis Bernier, 28, was arrested by the RCMP in Kelowna, B.C., on Sunday, June 30, 2024. (Source: SPVQ)

Another alleged accomplice of the leader of the Blood Family Mafia (BFM), Dave "Pic" Turmel, has been arrested by the RCMP.

Guillaume St-Louis Bernier, 28, was arrested in Kelowna, B.C., on June 30 after the Mounties intercepted him while he was out on a Canada-wide arrest warrant. The warrant for his arrest was issued on March 20 in connection with drug trafficking and receiving stolen goods after an investigation was launched in August 2023.

Quebec City police (SPVQ) announced his arrest Saturday in a news release.

"Guillaume St-Louis Bernier is considered a close collaborator of Dave Turmel, who is still wanted by authorities for arrest warrants also related to armed violence and drug trafficking," the release said.

Members of the Quebec City police tactical squad went to B.C. to repatriate St-Louis Bernier back to Quebec Friday night and he is expected to appear in court on Saturday.

Quebec City police said his arrest on Thursday was the result of a collaboration of the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) and the SPVQ's MALSAIN project, an initiative launched in 2019 to combat violence linked to drug trafficking and organized crime.

Leader’s right-hand man arrested earlier this year

He is the second alleged accomplice of the Quebec gang leader to be nabbed by police this year. Turmel's right-hand man, Roobens Denis, 32, was also arrested in Portugal in March after being on the lam since July 2023. He was repatriated to Quebec and appeared in court on June 28 in Quebec City to face charges of drug trafficking, conspiracy, and gun trafficking, according to a charge sheet.

At the time of arrest in a Lisbon hotel, he was wanted on charges of drug trafficking and drug trafficking conspiracy.

Meanwhile, Turmel still eludes the authorities and is believed to be hiding in Europe. Police also had Interpol issue a Red Notice in order to secure Denis' arrest.

The BFM and the Hells Angels made headlines last winter following a violent turf war in eastern Quebec that saw members of the outlaw biker gang kidnapped and tortured.