Brothers Keepers gang member in B.C. sentenced to 11 years in prison

A Brothers Keepers gang hoodie is shown in this police handout photo: (CFSEU-BC)

A member of the Brothers Keepers gang in British Columbia, which police describe as an "extremely violent organized crime group," has been sentenced to 11 years in prison on drug-trafficking charges.

Amandeep Singh Kang, 31, pleaded guilty in November to trafficking in controlled substances for the benefit of a criminal organization and conspiracy to traffic in controlled substances.

At his sentencing hearing earlier this month, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Paul Riley described the drugs Kang was connected with as the "worst, most dangerous, and addictive illegal drugs that plague our society," specifically fentanyl, heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine in "substantial amounts."

The Vancouver man was one of six people arrested and charged in 2021, following a three-year investigation by B.C.'s Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit (CFSEU-BC) into the Brothers Keepers group.

The provincial anti-gang task force says the Brothers Keepers emerged on B.C.'s organized crime landscape in 2017 and were in immediate and violent conflict with rival groups, including the Red Scorpions, the Wolfpack and the Hells Angels.

The CFSEU-BC says it began to focus its attention on the Brothers Keepers the following year, but the gang has since spread to all parts of the province and expanded into Alberta and Ontario.

'Concerted' and 'persistent' trafficking

When Kang and his alleged associates were arrested in 2021, police said they had seized more than 11 kilograms of drugs, as well as $50,000 in cash, a loaded pistol and lab equipment used to manufacture synthetic drugs.

"CFSEU-BC has noticed several trends within the Brothers Keepers group, including how they aggressively sought to expand into new markets throughout British Columbia, utilizing reduced drug prices, product branding such as purple fentanyl, and increased street-level drug potency,” Sgt. Duncan Pound said when the charges against the group were announced.

The sentencing judge described Kang as "one of the leading members of this organization," noting he was involved in both distributing large quantities of drugs to couriers throughout B.C., along with operating dial-a-dope distribution networks on Vancouver Island.

"The drug-trafficking activity was concerted, it was prolonged in duration, and it was persistent," the judge said.

"I say it was persistent because the trafficking continued after multiple rounds of police enforcement action," he added. "Taking enforcement action was not enough to discourage the group, including Mr. Kang, from continuing on with their activities. They were concerned only with or principally with how to continue without further detection from the police."

'Reflect on the choices that you have made'

At least two others who were arrested alongside Kang have since pleaded guilty to drug charges, including Andrew Miguel, who was sentenced to five years in prison, and Moshmem Khanun Khan, who was given a conditional sentence.

"I can say that while 11 years is a very substantial jail sentence, the sentence being sought here is probably at the low end of the acceptable range, given the nature of the criminal conduct in issue," the judge concluded before addressing Kang directly in court.

"Reflect on the choices that you have made and your associations and what has brought you to this point in your life," he told the offender. "You have a long sentence to serve and time to reflect on those things. If you do not make a decision to take your life in a different direction, likely the best outcome for you is that you will end up back in jail, and the worst outcome is that you will end up being another fatal casualty of organized crime."

With files from CTV News Vancouver's Kaija Jussinoja