In a candid conversation at the iconic Snowdon Deli, a retired Montreal police expert issued a stark warning: the city's criminal underworld is undergoing a profound transformation, and law enforcement risks being left behind.
The New Face of Montreal's Underworld
Retired detective and organized crime authority Pietro Poletti sat down with hosts Bill Brownstein and Aaron Rand for The Corner Booth podcast on Tuesday, December 23, 2025. He painted a picture of a criminal landscape that is fragmenting and recruiting younger members, including teenagers.
"It's not organized crime directing these people, traditional organized crime or bikers telling them to go to see businesses for extortion," Poletti explained. He described a new model where gangs act on their own initiative for a "quick fix," using intimidation, arson, and gunfire against businesses that refuse to pay.
Outdated Police Methods and Public Distrust
Poletti was blunt in his assessment of the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM). "Times have changed and we're policing like we were in the 1960s," he stated. He criticized the standard response to minor crimes, like a car break-in, where a patrol car is dispatched to file a report that will likely never be investigated.
He also highlighted a critical barrier to combating extortion: business owners' fear of reporting. Concerns range from losing valuable liquor permits to the disruptive spectacle of multiple police officers arriving at their establishment. Poletti advocates for a more discrete approach, utilizing detectives for sensitive cases instead of marked cruisers.
Leadership and the Enduring Threat
The retired detective turned his critique toward police leadership, predicting several police chiefs would depart by the end of 2026. He called for a more visible presence from SPVM police chief Fady Dagher, noting, "We don't see him no more for the past two months. He should come out and secure the public."
Despite the rise of disorganized, opportunistic gangs, Poletti cautioned that traditional power structures remain. He pointed to the June 2025 takedown of one Sicilian Mafia clan as an example, warning that several other clans continue to operate in Montreal, watching from the sidelines. He also connected the killing of heroin trafficker Charalambos Theologou at a Laval Starbucks to retaliation within this volatile new environment.
The episode of The Corner Booth featuring Pietro Poletti is available on The Gazette's YouTube channel, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.
