as a puppet gang for the Hells Angels, whom are the main suppliers of the drugs they sell. Police interventions Operation Northern Snow In 1998, the Winnipeg police were given the authority to begin a long investigation called Operation Northern Snow to counter the gang's drug trafficking. Thirty-five gang members were arrested and charged under new federal anti-gang legislation and held in a maximum security court house without the option for bail. Some members spent 20 months in jail waiting for trial and for 10 of those months they were being transported back and forth to the court house to plead their innocence. The case fell apart because of the length of time it took the Crown to begin the case. Some of the accused were released after their time imprisoned awaiting trial. Others faced an additional 18 months, and 22 of the accused accepted plea bargains. The Manitoba Warriors' growth was not slowed by Operation Northern Snow. Project Octopus In 2008, the police were again involved in an investigation into the Manitoba Warriors who were becoming a notorious street gang. The RCMP alerted the Winnipeg police that the Manitoba Warriors were exploiting government funding for a "homeless" initiative called Paa Pii Wak. The investigation was launched in December 2008 and it did not take long for it to become clear that the Manitoba Warriors were using Paa Pii Wak to further their criminal activities. The investigation showed that the Warriors exploited Paa Pii Wak in a few different ways. They used the organization to give active gang members and associates a legitimate source of income. it also gave gang members the authority to supervise gang members on court ordered release and gave the MW a way to extract active gang members from the centre. It also gave the Manitoba Warriors the ability to amend court orders rendering them ineffective. It was also known that the "staff" permitted the use of alcohol and drugs in the shelter. This was a real blow for the Homeless community because the Paa Pii Wak facilities that were supposed to help them were being used by a criminal organization. Books References Organizations established in 1993 1993 establishments in Manitoba Organizations based in Winnipeg Gangs in Manitoba Indigenous gangs