Almost 10 years after a major police operation all but wiped out the Hells Angels in Quebec, the biker gang is holding a major meeting in the province for the first time since the blitz.

Between 500 and 700 Hells bikers are expected to converge on a piece of private property on the outskirts of Saint-Charles-sur-Richelieu, a town about 60 kilometres northeast of Montreal, this weekend.

The occasion is the gang's mandatory annual meeting, the Canada Run. Last year, it was held in Calgary, AB.

This year, the Hells are back in Quebec — and under heavy police surveillance.

"It's a show of strength," said Sûreté du Québec spokesperson Guy Lapointe of the gathering. "It's intended to taunt the authorities."

In April 2009, police cracked down on the Hells in the SharQc operation: 156 people were arrested and the gang's bunkers were shut down.

After that, the Hells reduced their presence in Quebec.

The SQ are also assuring people in the area that everything should go smoothly this weekend, and that they expect the Hells to keep to themselves. (CBC)

But many of the associated court cases fell through in recent years, giving the gang a chance to come back on the scene.

Lapointe says the group still has a monopoly on the control of narcotics trafficking in the province, especially with cocaine and methamphetamine.

"It would be utopian to think that we can completely eradicate organized crime," Lapointe said. "This is a fight that will continue."

But he says police are not discouraged. Helicopters circled above the gathering on Saturday, and officers set up roadblocks, checking every person who made their way to the event.

"We aren't giving up," Lapointe said. "We're redoubling our efforts."

Mayor reassuring citizens

Mayor Marc Lavigne of Saint-Charles-sur-Richelieu is urging people not to worry about the gathering

He says the bikes shouldn't affect other activities in the community, and he insists the town is open for business.

"We hope people won't change their plan to come here," Lavigne said. "It's safe, there's no reason to be concerned about that."

Julian Sher, a former CBC producer and author of The Road to Hell: How the Biker Gangs are Conquering Canada, said the Hells are trying to send a message.

"The brilliance of their campaign is that on the one hand, they are saying, 'hey, we are just fun loving bikers. It's just a little rally.… Don't be too worried about us.' But subtly, what they're really saying is, 'look at our numbers, look at our strength, look at our power.'"

The SQ has assured people in the area that everything should go smoothly this weekend, and that they expect the Hells to keep to themselves.

Still, anyone who has any concerns or sees anything suspicious is asked to call the police.