Bite out of crime
Bite out of crime
By MATT KIELTYKA, 24 HOURS
One of the region’s most aggressive gangs has been put out of business, police declared yesterday.
With a small arsenal of seized weapons - including a sawed-off assault rifle - strewn across a table at a press conference, police told media the Sanghera crime group is now behind bars.
On Wednesday, police arrested six people in the group and laid a total of 69 charges during a six-month operation known as Project Rebellion.
“These arrests have functionally dismantled the Sanghera crime group,” said Insp. Mike Porteous. “The groups they were in conflict with were many. They were being very aggressive in guarding their territory.”
Porteous said the Sangheras - a family-based organization - had been in control of the drug trade in south Vancouver.
Included among the accused are four members of the Sanghera family: Bobby, 31, Navdip, 24, Savdip, 27 and alleged leader Udham, 59. Also charged are Baljinder Toor, 30, Sylesh Wadera, 19, Karl Lobmeier, 36, Jaspreet Virk, 20, Shane Gidon, 21, Gurveer Pabla, 20, Kyle Van Leeuwen, 24, Charanjit Rangi, 23 and Gordon Taylor, 42. One of the accused, John Holler, 20, remains at large.
Police also vowed to go after other gang members.
“We’re taking a very hard line against gangs,” said Vancouver police chief Jim Chu. “We will not rest and we will never give up.”
http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/News/local/2009/04/24/9229331-sun.html
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