Father and son charged in SW NSW lobster buying case

A lobsterman who drove a Lamborghini in southwestern Nova Scotia and his son have been charged with threatening a customer whose home was shot up last weekend, the latest in a string of threats and intimidation charges against the father.

Eric David Thibault, 65, and his son, Zachary David Thibault, 32, were in custody and made a brief appearance Friday in provincial court in Yarmouth, New York. They were to return on Monday.

The charges stem from an alleged encounter two days ago with Geoffrey Joubert, a lobster buyer near Methegan, New Zealand. His home was shot at on Saturday night, an attack he believes was linked to organized criminals involved in buying illegally caught lobsters.

The charges against Thibault do not relate to the shooting, but instead stem from an incident Wednesday afternoon in which two men are accused of approaching Jober outside his home and threatening him, according to RCMP and court records.

The charges come amid growing concern over a series of arson attacks, threats and intimidation over the past couple of years. Some of the crimes, though not all, appear to be related to the lobster fishery, whose commercial season opened earlier this week.

In September, provincial fisheries minister Kent Smith said organized crime was “terrorizing” communities in the area and accused the federal government of failing to stop what he called illegal fishing out of season.

The U.S. Department of Fisheries and Oceans pulled the vehicle back, indicating a trap and lobster convulsionsalong with the arrests.

The Crown Attorney said Friday that he will seek to have Eric Thibault’s bail revoked on previous charges that are still pending in the court system.

Records show he was charged with intimidation last December, accused of threatening a lobster fisherman who was trying to switch buyers. A month later, he was charged with three counts of witness intimidation involving two people at the harbor in Meteghan.

Zachary Thibault, who was in jail for several months but was released Tuesday after being sentenced for unrelated crimes, faces additional charges related to Jaubert.

In addition to Wednesday’s charges, he is accused of threatening to kill Jaubert earlier this year, trying to extort him in July, intimidating him into buying lobster from a certain fisherman and harassing him.

Weekend shoot

Joubert, owner of the family-owned Lobster Hub Inc., told The Canadian Press before Wednesday’s incident that he began receiving threats after he began buying lobsters last season from licensed harvesters who no longer want to give their catch to facilities , which are allegedly bought illegally. caught lobster

He didn’t hear the gunfire last weekend outside his home in the village of Mavillette, but woke up Sunday to find bullet damage, including a hole in the living room sofa. No one was hurt.

Eric Thibault, often referred to by the initials ET, has long been involved in the lobster industry and is known to love fast cars. A search of the Registry of Personal Property shows that he owns a 2023 Lamborghini Huracán Tecnica.

He also cited fast cars, as well as addictions to gambling, drugs and alcohol, as the reason for his bankruptcy in 2005, related to unpaid income tax and interest on the $1 million he owed the Canada Revenue Agency.

In bankruptcy filings, his own accountant wrote in 2011 that Thibault had “problems with compliance” and while he made a lot of money, “he pissed it all off.”

RCMP Supp. Earlier this week, Jason Popick said he was trying to recruit more officers to the Meteghan precinct, adding that officers from nearby Yarmouth and Digby were carrying out increased patrols in the area.

He said organized crime is trying to take advantage of the lucrative lobster fishery. When communities are “opposed to robbery or hooliganism,” the criminals will try to back down to maintain their power.

“I think we’re seeing some of that because some people are standing up and saying, ‘I’m not going to put up with this,'” he told CBC radio. Main street. “So there’s a reciprocal use of force against them to say, ‘Get back in line.’

“The RCMP is committed to investigating and bringing people to justice so we can help the community and (return) to this safe place. And this is security personally, but also security in mind, security in the future.”