Indo-Canadian organized crime
Founding location | British Columbia |
---|---|
Years active | 1990s - present |
Territory | Canada (mainly in the provinces of British Columbia and Ontario but to some extent Alberta), California, New Jersey, New York, Punjab, India |
Criminal activities | Drug trafficking, weapon trafficking, robbery, contract killing, fraud, money laundering, chop shop, counterfeiting, extortion, illegal gambling, murder and prostitution |
Allies | Triads, Vietnamese crime groups, Mexican cartels |
Rivals | Outlaw motorcycle clubs |
Indo-Canadian organized crime is a term denoted to organized crime groups based in Canada that are predominantly of Indian origin. Indo-Canadian gangs are the third major homegrown organized crime problems in Canada, next to the Outlaw motorcycle clubs and Native American criminal organizations. Annual police report ranked them third in terms of sophistication and strength in British Columbia, only behind the aforementioned biker gangs and Asian criminal organizations such as the Triads and Vietnamese drug clans.[1]
History
Indo-Canadian street gangs were in the beginning mostly involved in petty street crimes, older and more calculated criminals from the community quickly saw opportunities to make profit of the situation. Often using clan-based connections in their homeland, organized criminals from the Jatt community were able to build relatively criminal empires making use of young street gangs. The first major Indo-Canadian crime boss was Bindy Johal, although many and more powerful crime characters followed.[1] Indo Canadian gang violence has caused a major problem with a total of about 100 gang deaths since the 1990s to present day with most still unsolved. Between 1991 and 2005 the number is unknown due to lack of concern from police during that time, but at least 50 and at most 80 Indo Canadians have been murdered from gang related violence.[2] Unfortunately Indo Canadian gang violence is still on a high, recorded that from 2006 to 2014, 34 Indo Canadians had been murdered by gang violence making up for 21.3% of gang deaths in B.C.[3]
Gang violence has started to heat up again as of 2014 in the Punjabi (Sikh) community were violence in West Abbotsford between the Chahil and Dhaliwal crime groups has led to the death of Harwindip Singh Baringh,[4] in the Vancouver South Slope were two Punjabi groups have caused chaos which might be linked to the situation in West Abbotsford, and as of 2015 15 out of 30 shootings in Surrey and Delta from March 9 to May 9 have been from a drug turf war between the Indian and Somali drug groups which has led to the death of Arun Singh Bains.[5] Due to this the police have arrested 5 Indo-Canadian males Arman Dhatt, Pardip Brar, Rajvir Sunner, Chandanjot Gill, and Munroop Hayer to stop the gang violence happening in both cities.[6][7]
Activities
The main trade of the Indo-Canadian crime groups is the trafficking of heroin. Indo-Canadian crime bosses use their family connections in India to bring in the drug. Indo-Canadian crime groups widened the reach of their activities and delved criminal areas such as extortion, kidnapping, prostitution, money laundering and above all contract killing.[8][9] Organized gangs from the community have infiltrated the local transportation business, setting up connections with Mexican drug cartels and using truck drivers to smuggle cocaine and hashish from Mexico into the USA and Canada.[10]
Indo-Canadian gangs
- Brown Side Thugz
- Indo Canadian gang in the Surrey, BC area.
- According to user sources, significant members have operated in the drug trade, sex trade, gun smuggling, kidnapping, and murder .
- Daku Killaz
- according to user sources, a violent Indo-Canadian gang located in East Vancouver, with close ties to the Independent Soldiers.
- The gang has allegedly been involved in kidnapping Indo-Canadian businessmen, home invasions, murder, and cross-border human trafficking.
- Dosanjh Brothers
- According to users, the Dosanjh Brothers were the first Indo Canadian gang in Vancouver. Brothers Ron and Jimmy Dosanjh were killed in separate hits in 1994 and 1995 in a drug turf war by former associate-turned-rival Bindy Johal. Bindy Johal then took over the gang in the mid 1990s until he was murdered in a Vancouver night club on in Dec 20, 1998. The deaths of such members, often revered for the respect they attracted, continue to influence young Indo-Canadian gangsters.
- The Elite
- Richmond, B.C based Indo-Canadian hit squad
- FBK
- South Vancouver Indo-Canadian gang
- Independent Soldiers
- Vancouver Indo-Canadian gang
- Indo-Canadian Mafia
- Mobtown Crew
- East Indian organization in East Vancouver
- Sunset Boyz
- East Indian gang from Southeast Vancouver
- Surrey Jacks
- Indo-Canadian gang in the Surrey area, involved in car theft, home invasions and kidnappings, according to user sources.
- TJ Thandi
- WCPM - West Coast Punjabi Mafia
- Indo-Canadian crime organization with ties in California
- Dhak/Duhre Gang
- two separate Indo-Canadian gangs that work together to control the drug trade in the Lower Mainland
Indo-Canadian gang deaths
2015 gang deaths
- Arundeep Cheema
2014 gang deaths
- Tejinder Singh Malli
2013 gang deaths
- Jaskaran Sandhu
- Harpreet Chahal
- Manjinder Hairan
- Manjot Dhillon
2012 gang deaths
- Jagdip Johal (Died September 6, 2012; aged 37)
- Randy Naicker (Died June 26, 2012; aged 35)
- Gurbinder Singh Toor (Died May 30, 2012; aged 35)
- Ranjit Cheema (Died May 2, 2012; aged 43)
- Sandip ‘Dip’ Duhre (Died January 17, 2012; aged 36)
- Sukh Dhak
2011 gang deaths
- Baljit ‘Bal’ Buttar (Died November ?, 2011 [exact date unknown]; aged 35)
- Christopher Jai Reddy (Died June 24, 2011; aged 24)
- Balwinder Uppal (Died June 4, 2011; aged 43)
2010 gang deaths
- Gurmit Singh Dhak (Died October 16, 2010; aged 32)
- Chhminder Singh Gill (Died May 16, 2010; aged 32)
2009 gang deaths
Gurpreet ‘Gary’ Singh Bassi date: Oct. 26, 2009 age at death: 23
Rajinder Singh Soomal date: Sep. 29, 2009 age at death: 35
Jaswant ‘Billy’ Rai date: Jun. 30, 2009 age at death: 36
Sarbjit ‘Steve’ Nagra date: May 28, 2009 age at death: 29
Joseph Randay date: May 1, 2009 ages at death: 18
Dilsher Gill date: May 1, 2009 ages at death: 17
Sunil Mall date: Mar. 3, 2009 age at death: 27
Sukhwinder Dhaliwal date: Mar. 2, 2009 age at death: 32
2008 gang deaths
Rakesh Ratnam Naidu date: Oct. 2, 2008 age at death: 34
Gurpreet (Gerry) Singh Sidhu date: Aug. 21, 2008 age at death: 21
Harminder (Harvey) Hans date: May 26, 2008 age at death: 18
Bhupinder Singh Benning date: May 24, 2008 age at death: 27
Hark Hans date: Mar. 19, 2008 age at death: 28
Pritpal Singh Virk date: Feb. 2, 2008 age at death: 19
Tejvir (Sunny) Singh Bains date: Jan. 28, 2008 age at death: 24
2007 gang deaths
Ronal Shakeel Raj date: Nov. 6, 2007 age at death: 31
Daljit Sandhu date: May ? 2007 (exact date unknown) age at death: 19
2006 gang deaths
Gurpreet Singh Dhaliwal date: Jan. 12, 2006 age at death: 25
Ravinder (Robby) Singh Dhanjal date: Jan. 11, 2006 age at death: 25
Baljinder (Bobby) Singh Atwal date: Jan. 7, 2006 age at death: 22
2005 gang deaths
Hardev Singh Sidhu date: Sep. 30, 2005 age at death: 27
Hartinder (Harry) Gill date: Aug. 28, 2005 age at death: unknown
Inderjit (Andy) Singh Rai date: May 7, 2005 age at death: 23
Sukhwinder (Sukh) Singh Jawanda date: Apr. 2, 2005 age at death: 27
Harpreet Singh Khurmee date: Feb. 21, 2005 age at death: 34
Sukhjinder (Baboo) Singh Sohal date: Jan. 13, 2005 age at death: 39
Jatinder (Jerry) Singh Natt date: Jan. 13, 2005 age at death: 22
2004 gang deaths
Aklesh Anuj Chaudary date: Nov. 14, 2004 age at death: 19
Manjinder Singh Nutt date: Aug. 29, 2004 age at death: 24
Hardeep (Hardy) Bassi date: Jul. 14, 2004 age at death: unknown
Herman Dhillon date: May 4, 2004 age at death: unknown
Phil Hothi date: May. 4, 2004 age at death: unknown
Harjeet Singh Ghoman date: Apr. 26, 2004 age at death: 23
Karmen Singh Johl date: Mar. 23, 2004 age at death: 63
Gerpal (Paul) Singh Dosanjh date: Mar. 6, 2004 age at death: 28
2003 gang deaths
Gurwinder Singh Bath date: Dec. 13, 2003 age at death: 36 Bobby Johal date: Aug. 8, 2003 age at death: 28
2002 gang deaths
Davinder Singh Gharu date: Nov. 18, 2002 age at death: 21
Abenaas (Abby) Jaswal date: Nov. 1, 2002 age at death: unknown
Kamaljit Singh Sangha date: Sep. 29, 2002 age at death: 26
Heera (Hari) Singh Bahia date: Aug. ?, 2002 (exact date unknown) age at death: 24
Jaspal Toor date: Jun. ?, 2002 (exact date unknown) age at death: 20
Robbie Kandola date: Jun. 23, 2002 age at death: unknown
Gurjinder (Gary) Singh Sidhu date: April 1, 2002 age at death: 27
Jaskaran Singh Chima date: Mar. 18, 2002 age at death: 25
2001 gang deaths
Kuljit (Kelly) Singh Buttar date: Dec. 22, 2001 age at death: 22
Sukhjinder Singh Sahota date: Nov. 21, 2001 age at death: 27
Gurpreet Singh Buttar date: Nov. 21, 2001 age at death: 25
Rakinder (Rick) Singh Bhatti date: Oct. 9, 2001 age at death: unknown
Narinder (Ned) Singh Mander date: Oct. 9, 2001 age at death: unknown
Kamalbir (Kam) Jawanda date: Sep. 29, 2001 age at death: unknown
Gary Rai date: Aug. 3, 2001 age at death: unknown
Krishan Sharma date: Jan. 15, 2001 age at death: 24
2000 gang deaths
Gurpreet Singh Sohi date: Sept. 14, 2000 age at death: 20
Manmohan (Manny) Singh Tiwana date: Aug. 25, 2000 age at death: 26
Gurinder Singh Johal date: Jul. 27, 2000 age at death: 22
Mike Brar date: May 13, 2000 age at death: 21
Rishi Singh date: Feb. 14, 2000 age at death: 21
1999 gang deaths
Vikash Naidu date: Sep. 3, 1999 age at death: 23
Kuldeep Singh date: Sep. 3, 1999 age at death: 25
Deepak Sodhi date: May 20, 1999 age at death: 19
1998 gang deaths
Bhupinder (Bindy) Singh Johal date: Dec. 20, 1998 age at death: 27
Roman (Danny) Mann date: Nov. 29, 1998 age at death: 22
Vikash Chand date: Oct. 7, 1998 age at death: 26
Derek Chand Shankar date: Sep. 19, 1998 age at death: 19
1997 gang deaths
Gorinder Singh Khun Khun date: Oct. 21, 1997 age at death: 24
Amarjit Singh Dheil date: Jan. 19, 1997 age at death: 31
1995 gang deaths
Paul Jabbal date: Oct. 11, 1995 age at death: 22
Peter Manjeet Dosanj date: Jun.10, 1995 age at death: unknown
1994 gang deaths
Ranjit (Ron) Singh Dosanjh date: Apr. 19, 1994 age at death: unknown
Jimsher (Jimmy) Singh Dosanjh date: Feb. 25, 1994 age at death: unknown
1991 gang deaths
Sanjay Narain date: Dec. 2, 1991 age at death: unknown
Parminder Chana date: Oct. 11, 1991 age at death: unknown
References
- 1 2 Kim Bolan (Oct 1, 2005). "Stepping up the ranks". Vancouver Sun.
- ↑ "The Sikhs of Vancouver". vdare.com. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
- ↑ Rattan Mall (September 10, 2014). "34 South Asian victims in gang-related homicides January 2006-March 2014". Indo-Canadian Voice.
- ↑ "Abbotsford’s Harwindip Singh Baringh’s murder rivalry between Chahil and Dhaliwal crime groups?". voiceonline.com. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
- ↑ "RATTAN’S RUMBLE: Don’t fool yourselves, NOTHING is going to change in the crime scene – and here is why … (revised – with photos)". voiceonline.com. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
- ↑ "Arman Dhatt, Pardip Brar and Rajvir Sunner arrested and charged in Surrey-Delta shootings as police go all out to stem violence". voiceonline.com. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
- ↑ "Chandanjot Singh Gill, 18, and Munroop Singh Hayer, 21, arrested and charged in connection with recent Surrey-Delta drug war". voiceonline.com. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
- ↑ "Duhre gang: Who are they?". www.theprovince.com. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
- ↑ "Canada gang wars have a Punjab connection". sunday-guardian.com. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
- ↑ "Indo-Canadian truck drivers from GTA caught in web of North American drug trade". thestar.com. 14 October 2012. Retrieved 2 August 2015.