'Prominent and violent' Brothers Keepers gang: Investigation nets multiple criminal charges
Police in British Columbia say they have arrested several people associated with what they call a “prominent and violent” gang following a three-year-long probe into the group known as the “Brothers Keepers.”
In a news conference held in Surrey, B.C., on Thursday, the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit (CFSEU-BC) detailed the results of its investigation, including its intelligence-gathering strategy into an organized crime group the unit says is tied to an uptick in opioid trafficking both in the Lower Mainland and across British Columbia.
“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,” said Sgt. Duncan Pound.
Like other organized crime groups, police say the gang recruited young offenders in an effort to avoid criminal charges against older and more established members.
Pound confirmed criminal charges have been laid against the following individuals.
Amandeep Singh Kang, a 29-year-old Vancouver man, has been charged with:
- being one of a group of individuals constituting a criminal organization that knowingly instructed, directly or indirectly any person to commit trafficking in a controlled substance;
- trafficking a controlled substance for the benefit of a criminal organization;
- conspiring to traffic in a controlled substance;
- trafficking a controlled substance; and
- three counts of possessing a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking.
Police confirm Kang has been arrested and remains in custody.
Andrew Miguel Best, a 21-year-old Vancouver Island man, has been charged with:
- traffic a controlled substance for the benefit of a criminal organization;
- conspiring to traffic in a controlled substance;
- trafficking a controlled substance; and
- possess a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking.
At the time of the news conference, a warrant had been issued for Best's arrest. Since that time, he has been located and arrested.
Dylan Robert Ferris, a 22-year-old male from Surrey, is charged with;
- possessing a restricted firearm without an authorization or licence;
- two counts of possessing a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking;
- trafficking a controlled substance for the benefit of a criminal organization;
- conspiring to traffic in a controlled substance; and
- trafficking a controlled substance.
Ferris has been arrested and remains in custody according to police.
Jannat Bibi Nadeem, a 21-year-old Surrey woman, is charged with:
- being one of a group of individuals constituting a criminal organization that knowingly instructed, directly or indirectly any person to commit trafficking in a controlled substance;
- trafficking a controlled substance for the benefit of a criminal organization;
- conspiring to traffic in a controlled substance;
- trafficking a controlled substance; and
- possessing a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking.
Thursday afternoon, a few hours after the CFSEU-BC news conference, a spokesperson for the unit confirmed that Nadeem had been arrested and released from custody. There is no longer an outstanding warrant for her arrest.
Moshmem Khanun Khan, a 45-year-old woman from Surrey, has been charged with:
- trafficking a controlled substance for the benefit of a criminal organization;
- conspiring to traffic in a controlled substance;
- trafficking a controlled substance; and
- possessing a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking.
Police say Khan was arrested and released from custody.
Lastly Tanisha Bhatti, a 25-year-old Vancouver woman, is charged with conspiring to traffic in a controlled substance. Police confirm Bhatti was arrested and remains in custody.
Along with the arrests, police confirmed say they have seized more than 11 kilograms of drugs including cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl.
Additionally, they say they seized a loaded Smith & Wesson .40 caliber pistol, laboratory equipment and precursor chemicals utilized in the production and processing of synthetic drugs, and more than over $50,000 in cash.
Police told CTV News the fentanyl seized was coloured purple, which they say is essentially a trademark for the group.
“It's a significant amount. And I think, you know, we can never like as far as I'm concerned as far as the people working in CFSEU-BC are concerned, every dose of fentanyl as a potential life that we could lose,” said Pound, “So taking a larger seizure officer like 7.5 kilograms is significant. No question, taking production capacity, out of play in our communities. Definitely very significant.”
In a matching news release, the CFSEU-BC said it and other police agencies used the Provincial Tactical Enforcement Priority (PTEP) to identify which people associated with gang to target. It also used analytical tools such as Social Network Analysis to quote “unveil intelligence and information” about the Brothers Keepers gang.
“The program provides police agencies from across British Columbia, the opportunity to share organized crime and gang intelligence and to collaborate on enforcement strategies, opportunities and priorities,” Pound said.
“The PTEP program has been in place for several years and is a critical pillar in the organized crime enforcement efforts here in British Columbia.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Liberal MP says she's leaving politics over disrespectful dialogue, threats, misogyny
Liberal MP Pam Damoff says she won't run again in the next federal election, saying she has experienced misogyny, disrespectful dialogue in politics and threats to her life.
Concerns about Plexiglass prompt inspections at some Loblaws locations in Ottawa
Inspections are underway at more than one Loblaws location in Ottawa after complaints were filed about tall Plexiglass barriers.
Federal employees will be required to spend 3 days a week in the office
Starting in September, public servants in the core public administration will be required to work in the office a minimum of three days a week. The Treasury Board Secretariat says executives will need to be in the office four days per week.
OPP officer said 'someone's going to get hurt' before wrong-way Hwy. 401 crash
As multiple Durham police cruisers were chasing a robbery suspect on the wrong side of Highway 401 Monday night, an Ontario Provincial Police officer shared his concerns, telling a dispatcher, "Someone's going to get hurt."
Ont. woman who faked pregnancy to defraud doulas arrested again on similar charges
Victims of a Brantford, Ont., woman who was sentenced to house arrest earlier this year for defrauding and deceiving doulas say they’re not surprised she’s been apprehended again on similar charges.
Five human skeletons, missing hands and feet, found outside house of Nazi leader Hermann Göring
Archeologists have unearthed the skeletons of five people, missing their hands and feet, at a former Nazi military base in Poland.
Poilievre returns to House unrepentant for calling Trudeau 'wacko,' Speaker not resigning
An unrepentant Pierre Poilievre returned to the House of Commons on Wednesday to pepper the prime minister about his drug decriminalization policies after being booted the day prior for refusing to take back calling Justin Trudeau 'wacko' over his approach to the issue.
Construction begins on LGBTQ2S+ national monument in Ottawa
Shovels have hit the ground for constuction on Canada's LGBTQ2S+ national monument in Ottawa.
B.C. man awarded $5,000 in damages in first-of-it-kind intimate image case
In a first-of-its-kind case, a B.C. tribunal has ruled on a dispute involving the non-consensual sharing of intimate images, awarding damages and issuing orders that the photos be destroyed and taken offline.