A high-profile member of organized crime in Montreal was shot and killed Monday afternoon, sources confirmed to Radio-Canada.
Francesco Del Balso was shot close to the nook of Deacon Road and St-Régis Boulevard in Dorval in Montreal’s West Island.
Montreal police have been on the scene and reported a taking pictures with a deceased sufferer.
Del Balso was arrested as a part of the Operation Colisée sweep of the Montreal Mafia in 2006. He was convicted of gangsterism and conspiracy to import cocaine.
He was launched in 2016, then ordered again into jail over considerations for his security. Parole board paperwork on the time described him as “subsequent on an execution record.” Del Balso was launched once more in 2018.
He was arrested in September 2022 by police in Laval, Que., in connection to threats and extortion in opposition to the leaders of an area non secular group.
Final March, the Sûreté du Québec searched his dwelling together with the houses of three influential members of the Hells Angels as a part of an investigation into drug trafficking.
Every week earlier than that search, he had been questioned by provincial police investigators when attempting to depart for Italy. He was launched, however his passport was seized.
The taking pictures follows two different excessive profile assaults this yr.
In March, Leonardo Rizzuto, who allegedly took over from his father Vito Rizzuto as a Montreal Mafia chief, was shot at in Laval, Que. The automobile he was driving was hit with a number of bullets. Rizzuto survived with accidents.
On Might 16, Claudia Iacona, the daughter-in-law of Montreal Mafia member Moreno Gallo, was killed in a focused taking pictures within the car parking zone of her magnificence salon within the Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough.
Mafia energy imbalance
Antonio Nicaso is the creator of greater than 40 books on organized crime, and he teaches the topic at Queen’s College. He mentioned Del Balso as soon as managed playing for the Rizzuto crime household.
“He was a really highly effective mobster,” mentioned Nicaso.
Nicaso mentioned Del Balso specialised in unlawful betting actions, however his efforts to carve out his personal area within the discipline of playing and extortion led to a conflict with the Rizzuto clan.
Difficult the household’s senior administration led to retaliation, and Del Balso tried to flee the nation as a result of he was being hunted, mentioned Nicaso. The battle escalated.
“We realized he was a suspect within the tried homicide of Leonardo Rizzuto — he had some necessary connections to the Hells Angels,” mentioned Nicaso.
Antonio Nicaso, who has authored greater than 40 books on organized crime and teaches the topic at Queen’s College, says Francesco Del Balso specialised in playing and labored with the Rizzuto crime household till his efforts to broaden illicit actions led to a battle.
When there may be violence like this, it exhibits an influence imbalance amongst prison organizations whereas bringing their actions into the highlight, he mentioned.
Nevertheless, the mafia, or mafia-like organizations, are extra highly effective once they don’t use violence as a result of that creates a greater atmosphere for them to bribe and corrupt individuals — infiltrating organizations with the purpose of earning profits, Nicaso defined.
“When there’s a struggle, it’s at all times painful for everybody and it’s not the very best technique in place to conduct prison actions,” mentioned Nicaso.
Del Balso’s homicide confirms the mafia struggle in Montreal is “not but over,” mentioned Nicaso, but it surely’s not clear how far the battle will prolong.