Street gangs in Montreal are recruiting children as young as 10 with the promise of a wealthy, glamorous lifestyle, police warned Wednesday.

"Major street gangs are basically like any criminal organization," assistant police chief Mario Plante told a press conference on the latest crime statistics.

"Their main goal is like any other criminal organization -- how to make money."

In the Montreal community of Riviere-des-Prairies, where almost a quarter of the population is under the age of 25, gangs are a major threat.

"When you ain't born with money, you swear you're gonna die with money," one teenager told CTV Montreal.

Pierreson Vaval, who mentors youth in the community, said he feels compelled to show them alternatives to gang culture.

"I sense that I have a responsibility to do something, to involve myself," said Vaval.

He added that helping youth before they enter gangs should be a high priority.

"If we didn't do what we're doing now, I think Montreal would have a bigger problem," he said.

Plante said police are aware of about 20 major street gangs in the city, along with another 30 that are trying to gain prominence.

And they are trying to expand their numbers by promising kids the same wealth as rap stars.

"They are now recruiting starting at the age of 10 and 11 years old," said Plante.

The 50 gangs are believed to have between 300 and 500 members.

Plante said high temperatures in the summer can lead to heightened tensions between gang members, and police will crack down on the violence with more surveillance equipment.

Ten of 17 murders this year were connected to street gangs -- an increase of two from the same time last year.

While 97 per cent of violent crime in Montreal last year was not associated with gangs, Plante said police are still focusing mainly on gang members.

"The Montreal police service will be sparing no efforts in regards to street gangs in 2007," he said.

The press conference came a day after Quebec's criminal information service said biker gangs, street gangs and mobsters are working more closely together.

With a report from CTV Montreal's Daniele Hamandjian and files from The Canadian Press