anabolic frolic

50 charged in night club raid
$10,000 in drugs seized at venue operated by bikers

Mark Gollom
National Post

Police arrested 50 people on drug-related charges -- including members of outlaw motorcycle gangs -- at a downtown night
club yesterday in what investigators are calling Toronto's largest rave bust.

Police said the operators of the rave were Rock Machine members, now associated with the international outlaw gang the
Bandidos.

Detective Colin McDonald of 52 Division's major crime unit said security for the event was being handled by members of
Satan's Choice.

Det. McDonald said he hopes the raid may give police "the ammunition" to shut down the trouble-plagued venue.

"That was certainly our intent," said Det. McDonald. "One of the goals of our investigation was into the illegal distribution of
narcotics by motorcycle gangs and to close such a venue in a residential area.

"Hopefully we've taken the first step and have ammunition to give to the municipality to close it permanently."

About 50 members of the Toronto Police Services and the Ontario Provincial Police raided the Space night club, located near
Yonge and College streets, around 2:30 a.m yesterday.

The suspects, ranging in age from 15 to 37, were charged with a number of drug-related offences.

Five staff members were also arrested and charged with drug-trafficking offences. About 170 people were in the club at the
time of the raid, including a 13-year-old boy.

Investigators recovered approximately $10,000 worth of drugs including cocaine, Ecstasy, Special K or Ketamine, heroin and
marijuana. Det. McDonald said a number of undercover officers witnessed people openly using drugs inside the club.

Det. McDonald said the raid is the culmination of a three-month joint investigation with the OPP.

"What drew our attention was the association with the illegal motorcycle gangs. We have a great concern when motorcycle
gangs are peddling drugs to the young people in the community," he said.

The club has been the site of a number of shootings and stabbings.

In March, violence erupted when a man toting a 9-mm handgun led three other men into the club. After threatening
club-goers, the four fled in a stolen SUV. In 1996, a man was shot to death when the club was under a different name.

Neighbours living in the co-op behind the night spot have filed numerous complaints about the constant noise and drug
activity.

"We have been working with the police and city staff to shut down this operation," said Kyle Rae, a downtown Councillor.

But Mr. Rae said the municipal licence board does not allow "a quick and effective way of dealing with businesses that
refuse to comply with the law."

Nubbie

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by anabolic frolic:
investigators are calling Toronto's largest rave bust.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

That little sentence says it all, the media watch dog is slowly making its way back to kicking the snot out of the rave scene.
Its funny that they still lump the club scene and the rave scene together though, as the rave scene has done everything within its power to destinguish itself from the 'clubbers'.

Lets hope that we're able to stay out of the media's attention alittle better then the last time...

-=Nub=-

Kornflake~Girl

How do you make it clear to the media the diffrence between a rave and a club?
There seems to be not much of an outstanding diffrence besides name's anymore in Toronto so you can see why the association get made...

Not saying I think what they are doing is right, but its very easy to confuse the two since they come from the same pricipalistic clay.

When I read this article, I feel a bit relived since that kind of behavior and criminal neligance is what brings down our scene and we shouldn't feel that the police are the one's who are against us- they are just serving us to protect us.


I didn't requent Space much, but I did go there and come on- a club that has Space Invaders sure got my attention even though the majority said it was dirty... but I noticed that those words were understatments since we all party and comeon, Would you realy eat a lollypop off a rave floor? So what much diffrence is there between a Rave and a Clubs clenliness??

If anything, I feel that we as Ravers in the Rave comuinty should continue to read about our changing culture and become aware of the "Playground" that we call our City.

Jess

night club raid=toronto's largest rave bust?

TranceHed

Space is not a rave, it is a nightclub. raves may once again become the targets of a misinformed media. the irony of it all is that, if anything else comes of this, toronto's responsible rave promoters will be the ones paying the price. you'd never ever hear of toronto's nightclubs being boycotted.
this reminds me of a little incident involving a club called Spin Cat.

SiLvErStArZzZ

oie oie oie

Baker

here's the same story from the Toronto Star

Police arrest 50 at rave
Bikers blamed as officers seize $10,000 in drugs

By: Emily Yearwood

Toronto police arrested 50 rave-goers and seized $10,000 worth of illicit drugs after carrying out a warrant early yesterday morning.

Police said about 170 people were crowded on the second floor of an old bar, on Yonge St. near Grenville St., which rave organizers called "the Space Club."

Detective Colin McDonald said city police and Ontario Provincial Police monitored the club over a period of time because they believed drugs were sold there.

Police also believe the rave's organizers are members of both the Satans Choice and Bandidos motorcycle gangs.

Police charged and released 10 people at the scene. The rest, ranging in age from 15 to 37, were taken into custody. Some face charges, including possession of ecstasy for the purpose of trafficking. Four people were charged with carrying concealed weapons when police found they had knives.

A total of 45 individuals, including security staff and a bar attendant, face 71 charges. Those facing the more serious charges are to appear in court today. Police were investigating whether charges should be laid against the rave organizers.

The bar has been the scene of frequent violence through the years, including a homicide on Aug. 12, 1996, when it was the Circus club. Nigel Staubyn Henry, 21, was shot to death after a dispute during billiards.

This year police have reported someone wounded at the club and an incident where a man brandishing a gun barged past security guards.

&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt; OK.. beyond the fact that they are ONCE AGAIN grouping After Hours clubs into the "rave" category, what most upset me in this article was the unfair relation of the murder in 1996, when it actually WAS a biker club, into the story.

But on the other hand, honestly, who couldn't see this happening MONTHS ago?? Space was a Sketch Pad from day 1. It was the so thought secret place, that somehow survived the crackdown after the SpinCat incident. I have no pity for anyone involved who got arrested, I just hope that this doesn't unfairly start the fire against honest rave promoters once again.

I guess the only joy that can be gotten from this story in the Toronto Star, was that it was at the bottom of the 5th page, in the last section of the paper.

J_ACiD

BAHAHA!!
i just saw on CP24 that it was raided again!
and they arrested a bunch of people.. AGAIN

TranceHed

wha...it didn't get closed down?!
i thought the owner got charged.

johnny_fever

Despite the use of the generalized word "rave" to describe what Space is or was, The media made it clear that it was the criminal element (illegal biker gangs)that brought their investigation to Space.

One person quoted in the Sun actually said "... it's good for kids to have a place to go, but when the criminal element is introduced that's when the trouble starts..."

There are legitimate business owners operating legitimate clubs. People who are following the rules and are proving to the media that the modern youth culture of today is not EVIL. This was not a random raid, Space did this to themselves.

I wish ppl knew how much better off both the club and rave scene is with a place like this out of the picture.


Mike Conradi, resident DJ/Booking manager
VIVID Lounge
St Catharines Ont.

DreameChilde

So the boys have moved in have they? I was wondering how long it would take.

Anyone who's lived or partied in Montreal knows how bad things can get when they show up...

TrantsPants

If the media is painting a bad picture, and the media paints what it sees...isn't the answer to change what the media sees.

Control what they see, give them a reason to print it and the world will see what is good about the scene.

Ravers should do good...help at a soupkitchen, donate to charity, raise money for drug addiction support...and call the media before-hand so they know you are doing it...rave is a hot topic...they will print anything with the word "rave" in it. I know...I'm in media. Think of the headlines..."local ravers raise money for drug addiction support" And have someone there to talk to the media who knows what they want to hear...give them soundbites for tv, quotes for newspapers that sum up the good qualities of ravers.