Indo-Canadian organized crime
Founding locationBritish Columbia
Years active1913[1]–present
TerritoryPrinciple location:

Punjab, India

Controlled Territory: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Yukon, Washington, Alaska

Areas of Influence: Nova Scotia, California, Oregon, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Texas, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Arizona, United Kingdom, Australia,[2] New Zealand, Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, Hong Kong, Italy, Greece, Russia, Mexico, Colombia, Panama, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Costa Rica, El Salvador

Minor Connections: Spain, Germany, France, Africa, India, United Arab Emirates
EthnicityMostly Punjabi-Canadian Sikhs (primarily Jatts)[3][4]
Criminal activitiesAssassination, firearms trafficking, Home invasion, money laundering, murder, illegal gambling, robbery, drug trafficking, chop shop, assault, loan sharking, racketeering, extortion, contract killing, kidnapping and bribery

Indo-Canadian organized crime or Punjabi-Canadian organized crime is made up predominantly of young adults and teenagers of Punjabi ethnic, cultural and linguistic background, typically ethnic Jatts.[5][4][6] Collectively, these groups are among the top 5 major homegrown organized crime hierarchy across the nation in Canada coming in 3rd place, after the Asian Triads and Outlaw biker gangs.[7] The 2004 RCMP British Columbia Annual Police Report ranked them third in terms of strength and sophistication in British Columbia, ranked behind outlaw motorcycle clubs such as the Hells Angels and aforementioned Chinese criminal organizations such as the Triads drug clans.[8]

History

The first inklings of Punjabi-Canadian organized crime were seen in the arrival of pioneer Sikh-Candians in the 1910s with the arrival of Sikh Ghadar Movement members from British India to Canada, many of whom had fled persecution for their rebellious activities in Punjab - in which they fought for "Azad Punjab"(Free Punjab) and what was described as "Khalsa Raj"(Sikh rule) which was referenced to as the Sikh Empire prior to colonial rule.[9] One example of this "organized crime" phenomenon during this period is described as the illegal accumulation of weapons among the Punjabi community to fend off race riots, as well as to ship to India to revolt against colonial rule, along with the accumulation of capital through train and bank robberies, although rarer in Canada as opposed to the United States Ghadar party members illegal activities.[1] Another major form of what is characterized by scholars as "revolutionary organized crime activities", were the ordering of assassinations of British officials in Punjab from Canadian soil, as well as colonial officials being targeted for murder on Candian soil, as seen with the case of Ghadar assassin Mewa Singh Lopoke, who was hanged for shooting William C. Hopkinson dead. These activities were coordinated between members of the Ghadar movement living in Canada, the United States and even the United Kingdom itself, as Udham Singh was known to keep correspondences with Sikh revolutionaries globally similar to Bhagat Singh and his correspondences.[10] The "Azad Punjab" movement would continue under the Ghadar Party, however, a more militant Sikh group would emerge in the 1920s known as the Babbar Akali movement, which would cause even more widespread armed rebellion in Punjab and its surrounding states and would work in conjunction with the Ghadar Party despite infiltration by colonial-police agents, both in Punjab and overseas within Canada, the United States and in the United Kingdom.[11][12] These groups would both continue their activities from abroad following the crackdown on rebels and revolutionary militants in the Punjab region during the late 1930s and 1940s by British officials and colonial police, along with the advent of World War II which saw a large number of Punjabi Sikhs enlisting in the British Indian Army for further land grants, similar to World War I.[13][11]

Prior to and during the 1947 Partition of India, the Sikh sentiment would favour a "Sikh State solution" as proposed by Master Tara Singh in his concept of "Sikhistan", as the idea of "Azad Punjab" collapsed with the rise of the Muslim League and its separation of West Punjab for Pakistan.[14] While the Sikh narrative would be ignored by the departing British as well as the Hindus and Muslims of newly formed India and Pakistan, the concept of "Sikhistan" remained as a movement among the Sikh population, particularly those of East Punjab and later those Sikhs who survived the Pakistani Police death squads while fleeing West Punjab during the partition.[15] This sentiment would remain strong among Sikhs abroad, many of whom fled British persecution, and now saw the same occupation of Punjab by what they considered the Hindus of India and the Muslims of Pakistan in West Punjab, this support of "Sikhistan" would evolve into a demand for "Khalistan" during the 1950s and 1960s.[16]

In the 1980s, there was a violent struggle to have the Punjab break away from India to establish a new nation-state to be called Khalistan ("the land of the pure").[17] In June 1984, the Indian Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, had the Indian Army storm the most sacred site for Sikhs, the Golden Temple or the Darbar Sahib ("abode of God") in Amritsar, which had been taken over by armed Sikh separatists.[17] During the ensuing battle between 5–8 June 1984, the Darbar Sahib was severely damaged with over 492 deaths. The incident was seen by many Sikhs around the world as a massacre and a declaration of war by India upon their community.[17][18][19] In Canada, some members in the Sikh community started to engage in revolutionary activities in support of Khalistan.[20] Though the intention was initially political, some of the activists also started to engage in organized crime as a way to raise money for the struggle.[20] Ranjit "Ron" Dosanjh, the president of the Vancouver chapter of the separatist International Sikh Youth Federation, became the leader alongside his brother Jimsher "Jimmy" Dosanjh of the Dosanjh gang.[21] Despite the revolutionary and Khalistani origins of Punjabi-Canadian organized crime, gangs in today's landscape have ties to Indian political parties such as the Bharatiya Janata Party and Indian National Congress,[22] the party responsible for Operation Blue star, rather than to non-state actors which support Khalistan.[23][24] United Nations (gang) leading figure Jimi "Slice" Sandhu[25] was known to have close ties to BJP party leaders in Goa and South India as well as in Punjab, as a Ketamine factory raid would reveal.[26]

One of the first Punjabi-Canadian Full-patch Hells Angels would be Rajinder Singh Sandhu who became a full-patch member of the Nanaimo chapter in 2000 and would be convicted alongside another Hells Angel in 2015 for extortion, Rajinder would pave the way for more Punjabi Hells Angels Full-patch members such as other high-profile members such as Suminder Singh Grewal.[27] One man who led the gangster lifestyle was Gurmit Singh Dhak, leader of the once prominent Dhak gang.[28] After being arrested in the early 2000s with kilos of drugs and a loaded firearm, Dhak was contacted by the Odd Squad of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police about making an anti-gang video for high school students.[28] In a video made in the early 2000s, Dhak stated that to live the life of a gangster was to live in fear, never knowing when someone would try to kill him and never knowing who to trust.[29] Dhak stated: "...if I could turn back time, I would never do it again. Every day I've got to look over my shoulder; I've got to worry about my family, I've got to worry about, if I jump out of my car, am I going to get shot? Or, you know, I could be walking in the mall and walking out and getting shot. I don't know...Oh, I want to get out. But it's too late now to get out. I have too many enemies".[29] On October 16, 2010, Dhak was found shot dead in the driver's seat of his black BMW SUV, which was parked in the parking lot of the Metrotown Mall in Burnaby.[29] His murder remains unsolved.

Rivals have posted rap songs advocating murder such as a young man from Surrey, alleged to have committed two murders and charged by RCMP, posted an online tribute to the murdered Gavinder Grewal, the deceased founder of the Brothers Keepers gang.[30] Tyrel Nguyen Quesnelle, using his rapper name "T-Sav", boosted in his rap song My Life that he was willing to both kill and die for his deceased gang-leader, Grewal.[30] T-sav rapped in his song: "They took GG from us, realest trapper ever living. I swear we riding out for you till they all ain't living." and "I caught my first body when you was in school...Brothers Keepers, that's a life contract, little nigga."[30] The police in the Lower Mainland maintain that songs glorifying violence and criminality while boasting about drug dealing and murder are increasing tensions between gangs.[30]

The Brothers Keepers are not the only gang threatening their enemies musically as in the fall of 2019, after he was released from a jail, the rapper Lolo Lanski posted his song Dedman to SoundCloud and YouTube.[30] As of January 24, 2020, the song had 80,000 downloads.[30] The song denounces the Brother Keepers and describes how Grewal was shot inside his penthouse home in 2017.[30] The lyrics of Dedman admiringly declare that the killer "sent lead to his head" and the assassination was "trying to put a BK [Brother's Keeper] on TV."[30] In a bizarre note, Dedman includes an audio excerpt of the 911 call made by Grewal's brother Manbir after he found his brother's corpse in the penthouse.[30] The use of rap in the present underworld conflict between the Brothers Keepers vs. both the Kang group and the United Nations gang is new, but police in B.C. have stated they have witnessed an overlap between rap and the underworld subcultures before.[30]

A major drug bust conducted in April 2021 broke up an Indo-Canadian trafficking network primarily based in Brampton, Ontario. Of the 28 arrested, the majority were India-born Punjabi men. Police seized $2.3 million worth of drugs including 10 kilograms of cocaine, eight kilograms of ketamine, three kilograms of heroin and 2.5 kilograms of opium. Additionally, 48 firearms and $730,000 in Canadian currency were seized as part of the bust.[31] This criminal network was reported by York Regional Police, Toronto Police Services, Peel Regional Police, RCMP and the DEA to operate as far as Western Canada, California and India.[32]

Some of the young men involved today in crime may come from first-generation backgrounds but the majority are second and third-generation Punjabi-Canadians. These individuals were initially involved in petty street crimes, but older and more calculating criminals from the community quickly saw opportunities to make a profit from the situation. Often using clan-based ties and connections in their ancestral homeland, mainly in the parts of the Punjab, organized criminals from there were able to build criminal empires making use of young street gangs.[8] During the period from 2006 to 2014, 34 South Asians made up 21.3% of gang-related deaths in British Columbia.[33]

Activities

Gangs and criminal organizations within the Punjabi-Canadian community have also been noted for adopting the rigid structure and rules of the Punjabi Mafia, with strict rules against talking to police and against any kind of drug use amongst members and associates aside from alcohol or cigarettes use, though excessive use of these substances is also allegedly met with punishment within the gangs.[3][34][35] The main trade of the Indo-Canadian crime groups are murder-for-hire operations, along with arms trafficking, racketeering, extortion, assassinations, and eventually the indo-Canadian groups delved into the trafficking of cocaine, heroin, MDMA, methamphetamine and cannabis.[5][36]

Punjabi-Canadian crime bosses initially used their family connections in the Punjab to bring in the heroin drug from the "Golden Crescent" nations of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran where much of the world's heroin was once produced and where they worked with the government officials of Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan to smuggle drugs.[5] However, in the late 1990s, Pakistani and Afghan heroin suppliers Mohamed Shafiq and Mohammed Yusuf Khan became DEA informants causing the extradition of crime boss Ranjit Cheema to a California prison.[37] This caused Punjabi-Canadian crime bosses to stop doing any business in Pakistan and the Middle East and instead they began importing heroin from the "Golden Triangle (Southeast Asia)" nations of Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and Laos, where the heroin quality is also much higher.[37][5][36]

Punjabi-Canadian crime groups widened the reach of their activities and delved into other crimes such as kidnapping, loan sharking, money laundering and chop shop.[5][38] Organized gangs from the community were alleged to use the local transportation business, setting up connections with Mexican drug cartels and using truck drivers to smuggle cocaine from Mexico into the United States and Canada, in exchange for MDMA, Methamphetamine, Cannabis (drug) and hashish for the cartels.[39] The profits of drug dealing allow for contract killing.

Criminal groups

Most Indo-Canadian crime groups in Ontario and Alberta are either several clans controlled by one family with friends and relatives associated with the group or sometimes networks of truck drivers involved in cross-border drug smuggling that are classified as gangs. The largest organized Indo-Canadian gang presence is in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario.[40]

The largest crime groups are:

  • Brothers Keepers Gang: Founded by Gavinder Singh Grewal and most of the gangs members and leadership formerly made up the Red Scorpions leadership, but split off to its own group and allegedly targeted remaining Red Scorpions members across British Columbia cities beginning in Spring 2016 and heating up in Fall 2017.[41][42] This organization is active mainly in Metro Vancouver but is believed to have made inroads into all across British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario and the American states of Washington, Oregon, Minnesota and Montana.[43] The Brothers Keepers gang is known to be closely aligned with the Driftwood Crips of Toronto and according to the Vancouver Sun: "The Driftwood Crips, who have been active in the drug-and-gun trade since the mid-1990s, have aligned with, and are running, drug lines for the Brothers Keepers, a B.C. outfit that is locked in a bloody Lower Mainland gang conflict with rivals from at least two other groups."[44] Since the founding of the gang, some prominent high-level figures and some low-level members have been targeted and slain including founder Gavinder "Gavin" Grewal whose brother Manbir found him dead at his North Vancouver apartment on December 22, 2017.[45] One of the founding BK members, Harpreet Singh Majhu, was found dead in a burned out vehicle just outside of Agassiz in June 2016. He had just committed a trans-national hit along with another Kang associate Orosman Jr. Garcia-Arevalo. The pair were hired by Notorious Drug Lord Naji Sharifi Zindashti to take out fellow Drug Lord Cetin Koc as a revenge-hit in Dubai. They snuck up on and blasted Koc as he sat in his vehicle, motor still running. The two sped away and made it out of the country only to meet their demise just a few weeks later as Garcia-Arevalo would later be found dead in an Abbotsford blueberry field on May 11, 2016, alleged to be ordered by the leader of the gang, Gavin Grewal who was suspected to keep much of the 5 million dollars paid for the Dubai hit, potentially leading to the split and formation of BIBO gang.[46] Matthew Navas-Rivas was on the annual BK boat cruise just days before he was shot to death on July 25, 2018. He and his crew of Troy McKinnon and Cody Sleigh were Independent Soldiers members, who along with the rest of Independent Soldiers and Wolfpack would become rivals with the Red Scorpions and BIBO gang while aligning themselves with the Brothers Keepers gang.[47] Troy McKinnon and Cody Sleigh were also found gunned down on January 15, 2018, and July 21, 2020, respectively.[48] On February 1, 2019, a former associate of Manny Buttar, Bicky Khakh was gunned down in Surrey. He was with fellow friend and gang associate Harb Dhaliwal when the two were shot at in Richmond on December 21, 2018.[49] In April 2019 Daniel Grewal, the cousin of founder Gavin Grewal was shot and injured. This resulted in a car chase that ended with paramedics arriving and police arresting the five suspects. Since the arrests four of the five men have since been murdered; Austin Grewal April 26, 2019, Iqubal Grewal September 16, 2020, Julian Moya Cardenas January 7, 2022 and Kevin Allaraj along with his associate Jeevan Saepan June 4, 2022.[50] Suminder Grewal of the Hells Angels Hardside Chapter was gunned down at a Starbucks on August 2, 2019.[51] He along with Hardside Prospect Gurpreet Dhaliwal of Mission are the alleged connections between the Hells Angels and the Brothers Keepers. High ranking Keepers members; Harb Dhaliwal and Barinder Dhaliwal alongside hitman Tyrel Nguyen Quesnelle were photographed attending the funeral of Full-patch Hells Angel member Suminder Singh Grewal.[52] Anees Mohammed, a former associate of Jujhar Khun-Khun and the Dhak Group, who had switched to the Wolf Pack/Brothers Keepers side years ago, was gunned down in Richmond on January 7, 2021. This was suspected retaliation for the Gary Kang murder just one day prior.[53] Harb Singh Dhaliwal was gunned down outside Cardero's Restaurant on April 17, 2021, in a brazen shooting.[54] His brother Meninder, chased the assailant and stabbed him in the eye.[55] Brothers Jaskeert Singh and Gurkeert Singh Kalkat were murdered only nine days apart in mid May 2021.[56][57] Jaskeert was a prime suspect in the murder of high profile and long-time United Nations gangster Karman Singh Grewal at YVR on Mother's Day. Juvraj Jabal fell victim to an alleged revenge-hit on February 8, 2022, and succumbed to his injuries on the 10th.[58] It was suspected retaliation from the Jimi Sandhu murder one week prior in Thailand. On July 25, 2022, Meninder Dhaliwal and friend Satindera Singh Gill were gunned down outside a busy hotel in the Whistler Ski Village of B.C. Meninder along with his brother Barinder were put on a list along with four others as gangsters who pose a risk to themselves and to the public. He was the second main suspect along with Jaskeert Kalkat as the men who murdered Karman Grewal. Meninder's alleged killers were apprehended by RCMP within a couple hours. One of them Gursimran Sahota had close ties to Karman.[59] Both Sahota and Tanvir Khak are alleged UN members.[60] On September 12, 2022, Sameh Ali Mohammed was gunned down in Brampton, Ontario. He was the older brother of higher-profile BK member Naseem "Lil' Man" Mohammed. The OPP and RCMP believe this to be a retaliation hit for the murder of UN member Arman Singh Dhillon in August in Oakville, Ontario.[61]
  • Dhak-Duhre Group: Includes the United Nations in the coalition as well and this group was alleged to be active across British Columbia and Alberta.[62][63] Although some of the original leaders such as Sandip Singh Duhre, Gurmit Singh Dhak and Sukhveer Singh Dhak have been killed, the associates of the murdered leaders are suspected by RCMP to remain connected to crime groups themselves and continue supplying the remaining UN gang.[64] The Dhak-Duhre coalition is known to have strong ties the UN gang and is known to have waged a war against the Wolf Pack alliance, a gang alliance composed of the Independent Soldiers gang, the Red Scorpions gang and the Hells Angels.[65]
  • Dhaliwal Crime Family: Operating across the cities of Toronto, the greater Toronto Area and the major cities of Quebec, by a family, originally from Mississauga; the Dhaliwal crime family has been raided numerous times, first in 1996 for running a $45 million a year organized crime group which according to crown prosecutors at the time; heavily engaged in everything from armed robberies to importing cocaine and heroin for trafficking, extortion, arms trafficking, murder, armed thefts of cars and kidnapping rival drugs and firearms traffickers, police alleged.[66][67] The Dhaliwal crime family founded and led by patriarch Balwinder Singh "Bill" Dhaliwal, 65 years old as of 2022, who was infamously dubbed the "King of Car Thieves" in an episode of the Canadian TV Series Masterminds as there was a smaller faction of the crime family which made $16 million a year solely from the stolen vehicle operations. The crime family has been raided a total of five times by the RCMP and Toronto Police Services, with $15 Million in stolen wholesale goods being seized in the fourth and second-last police operation in 2016. They are currently estimated to be making a profit of 170–280 million on an annual basis from the exportation of cannabis into the US, as well as the sales of firearms, meth, heroin, cocaine and MDMA across Ontario and Quebec.[68][69][70][71]
  • Independent Soldiers Gang: Consisting mostly of Punjabis, Euro-Canadians and Indo-Fijians, the gang was to be founded in Vancouver.[72] Canadians of Punjabi-Canadian, Euro-Canadian and Indo-Fijian ethnicities make up most of the gang.[73] This organization is part of the Wolf Pack and was founded as the "sunset boys" and this gang was involved in the 2009 Vancouver gang war.[74] On May 26, 2009, former leader and founder of the Independent Soldiers, Parminder "Peter" Adiwal was ambushed and shot 26 times in the parkade of his Burnaby condo by a rival gang. He miraculously survives and would later allegedly leave the gang "lifestyle".[75] High-profile gangster of the Independent Soldiers in Randy Naicker was gunned down in Port Moody, B.C. on June 24, 2012.[76] High-profile leader and Wolfpack member Sukhvir Deo was found slain in Toronto, Ontario on June 7, 2016. Two weeks prior he had been ejected from a Toronto Raptors playoff game. His face was all over multiple TV outlets making it easy for rivals to locate him.[77] Duncan Bailey a member of the Independent Soldiers, was one of victims in the airplane crash that killed fellow hit man Gene Lahrkamp.[78] The gang is believed to now be led by founders Harjit Singh Deo and Garinder Singh Deo, who took control after the death of their older brother Sukhvir, as well as after the retirement of the Adiwal twins.[79][80]
  • Kang Crime Family: Formerly a part of the Brothers Keepers organization but due to differences between members over financial disputes, has splintered and formed a new organization which is also called the "BIBO" Gang(Blood In, Blood Out Gang).[81] The name of the gang "Blood In, Blood Out" signifies that in order to join the gang one must spill blood for the gang(commit murders) and the only way out of the gang is death, as the BIBO gang is known to commit murders on orders from leaders rather than for money through a contracted killing, as payment for killings are against the alleged rules of the gang, supposedly the name of the gang also pays tribute to the 1993 film Blood In Blood Out.[81] The Kang Crime Family was founded by brothers Sameet Singh "Sam" Kang and Gary Singh Kang after a fallout with the Brothers Keepers gang. The group is similar to the "Sanghera Crime Family" in that they use many different family members as well as associates.[82][83] The group is known to be in a war with the Brothers Keepers for control of territory in Metro Vancouver, across British Columbia and Alberta.[84] This organization is thought to be based in Burnaby, British Columbia but its presence is thought to extend throughout British Columbia and Alberta.[85] According to court witness testimony along with police surveillance and drug seizures throughout "Project Territory"; detectives, intelligence analysts and prosecutors concluded that the Kang Group had been a supplier for the Red Scorpions gang and had been suppliers for the leader of the RS Gang outside of prison, Kyle Latimer.[86] Some of the founding members are in jail. Randy Kang along with his younger brother Gary Kang were shot on October 27, 2017. The two along with Camilo Alonso had been setup by former BK associates Hardii Cheema and Rohit Kumar.[87] Randy died on the scene while Gary lived. This is what police believe caused the revenge killing of Gavin Grewal. On January 6, 2021, Gary Kang was murdered inside his South Surrey home of the Morgan Creek Neighbourhood.[83] Sameet (Sam) Kang is suspected to control the gang from prison.[88]
  • Malli-Buttar Coalition: This coalition is made up of two groups, one led by Tejinder Singh Malli and the other led by the Buttar brothers; Baljit(Bal), Manjit(Mani) and Kuljit(Kelly), operating across British Columbia and Alberta, the group is known to operate at a high level.[89][90] This group is now almost semi-defunct after the imprisonment of most of its members. This organization was the other group involved in the 2009 Vancouver gang war.[89]
  • Punjabi Mafia: Was alleged to be made up of the Dosanjh group, Johal group and Buttar group.[34] Parts of it other than the Buttar and Johal group are considered to be somewhat dismantled, with factions of the Johal and Buttar groups allegedly still operating. The Punjabi Mafia was originally founded by Ranjit Cheema, the Dosanjh Brothers and Robbie Kandola with a rival faction being controlled by Ranjit Chema and Bindy Johal before his death.[34]
  • The Ruffians: A gang made up entirely of international students from Punjab, India, some of whom had travelled to Canada for studies and job opportunities, this gang is claimed by police to have been founded in Abbotsford while operating across British Columbia municipalities in criminal activities such as contract killing, Drug trafficking, money laundering, murder, weapon trafficking, illegal gambling, robbery, chop shop, assault, loan sharking, extortion and kidnapping.[91][92] The Ruffians is alleged to have up to 300 members and was founded in 2019 by international students with purported ties to the UN gang, according to Vancouver police.[91]
  • Sanghera Crime Family: Founded by Uddham Singh Sanghera, this crime family is believed by police to be responsible for over 100 shootings in the 2009 Vancouver gang war in Vancouver.[36][93] The Vancouver Police Department has targeted and for the most part been able to capture members of the group. The courts have sentenced members of the Sanghera family to prison terms although the large remnants of the organization are alleged to be active.[94] On March 8, 2017, Harjit Mann and Navdip Sanghera were shot at it in East Vancouver. Harjit would die at the scene while Navdip succumbed to his injuries a day later.[95]
  • Sandhu-Sidhu Group: Founded by leaders Jimi "Slice" Sandhu and Sandeep Sidhu, this group is mostly based out the Townline Hill Neighbourhood of Abbotsford B.C. They have mostly been at odds with the Dhaliwal-Grewal-Kang coalition that was part of the Red Scorpions before splintering themselves. They remain at odds with the Dhaliwal-Grewal group a la the "Brothers Keepers" and the Red Scorpion "Kang-Latimer" faction. They are well known allies of the UN gang as well as the remaining members of the Dhak-Dhure and Chahil groups. On January 2, 2014, Red Scorpion acting leader Matt Campbell was stabbed in the neck by Sandhu as they bumped into each other coincidentally at the Abbotsford Auto Mall.[96] He was charged with second-degree murder but the charges were later stayed.[97] Sandhu was deported to India in early 2016 but was still making appearances in Canada while deported. Navdeep Sidhu, the younger brother of Sandeep, and his associate Harman Mangat were fatally wounded on January 12, 2017. The two were gunned down in Edmonton, Alberta thus spanning the Dhaliwal-Grewal-Kang rivalry with the Sandhu-Sidhu-Chahil group out of province.[98] On February 4, 2022, Sandhu was gunned down outside his Thailand Villa by two ex-infantry members; Matthew Dupre and Gene Lahrkamp of the Canadian Military.[99]
  • Manj Group: This group founded in the mid-2000s by brothers Jodh, Aman & Sonny Manj. This was one of the major groups involved in the 2009 Vancouver Gang War. They had been aligned with the Adiwal Brothers prior to Peter Adiwal being shot in May 2009 which the Manj's had been accused of being involved in. They then aligned themselves with the Dhak Brothers after Mike Adiwal and the Deo brothers took over the Independent Soldiers and joined Larry Amero to form the Wolfpack.[100][101] The main rival of the Manj Group was initially the Sanghera Crime Family and later the Wolfpack.[102] The two constantly hunted each other through the streets of East Vancouver along with another group the Malli-Buttar Coalition in 2009 and prior.[103] This group is considered to be semi-defunct as both leaders of the group have been murdered however majority of the group continues supplying the UN gang and is closely aligned with the Dhak-Duhre coalition and the Sidhu-Sandhu crime group. Jodh Manj was found slain in Mexico of December 2018 after being suspected by both Mexican police and Canadian RCMP of being involved in the murder of Hells angel associates Gussiuppe Bugge and Nabil Alkhalil of the Wolfpack, both of whose were killed in Mexico.[104] Aman Manj would go on to supply the United Nations gang in weapons and drugs and later be found gunned down on September 15, 2021, in Downtown Vancouver.[105]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Ganguly, Anil (1980). Ghadar Revolution in America. University of Michigan. pp. 48–51.
  2. ↑ Bolan, Kim. "A murder in Phuket: B.C. gang conflict moves overseas". vancouversun.
  3. 1 2 Schneider, Stephen (2009). Iced : the story of organized crime in Canada. Mississauga, Ont.: Wiley. ISBN 978-0470835005.
  4. 1 2 Sullivan, Paul (June 26, 2002). "Keep your head down in Vancouver these days". The Globe and Mail.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 McConnell, Keiron (September 2015). "The Construction of the Gang in British Columbia: Mafioso, Gangster, or Thug? An Examination of the Uniqueness of the BC Gangster Phenomenon". London Metropolitan University.
  6. ↑ Totten, Mark (April 2008). "Promising Practices for Addressing Youth Involvement in Gangs" (PDF). Government of British Columbia. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
  7. ↑ Service, Tribune News. "Punjabi smugglers among top 3 notorious gangs in Canada". Tribuneindia News Service.
  8. 1 2 Kim Bolan (October 1, 2005). "Stepping up the ranks". Vancouver Sun.
  9. ↑ Ganguly, Anil (1980). Ghadar Revolution in America. University of Michigan. pp. 44–49.
  10. ↑ Singh, Sikander (2013). The Trial of Udham Singh. England: Unistar Books. ISBN 9382246819.
  11. 1 2 Singha, Guracarana (1993). Babbar Akali Movement, a Historical Survey. Michigan: University of Michigan. pp. 220–234.
  12. ↑ Singh, Balkaran (1999). Sikh Courier International. United Kingdom: Sikh Cultural Society of Great Britain. pp. 189–193.
  13. ↑ C. Ellinwood, DeWitt (1978). India and World War 1. Columbia, MO: South Asia Books. pp. 109–116. ISBN 9780836401912.
  14. ↑ Grewal, J. S. (2017). Master Tara Singh in Indian history: colonialism, nationalism and the politics of Sikh identity (First ed.). New Delhi, India: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199467099.
  15. ↑ Tanwar, Raghuvendra (2006). Reporting the partition of Punjab 1947: press, public and other opinions (1. publ ed.). New Delhi: Manohar. ISBN 9788173046742.
  16. ↑ Kudaisya, Gyanesh; Tai Yong, Tan. The Aftermath of Partition in South Asia. Taylor & Francis. pp. 91–98. ISBN 1134440480.
  17. 1 2 3 Langton 2013, p. 43.
  18. ↑ "What is the real story behind the Operation Blue Star?". Sikh Press Association. 29 May 2019. Retrieved December 25, 2022.
  19. ↑ "10 days of Terror". National Sikh Youth Federation. Retrieved December 25, 2022.
  20. 1 2 Langton 2013, p. 43-46.
  21. ↑ Langton 2013, p. 44-46.
  22. ↑ Bolan, Kim. "Richmond men wanted for alleged role in Indian drug ring". Vancouver Sun.
  23. ↑ "Senior Goa BJP leader questioned in Ketamine drug haul case". India Today.
  24. ↑ Bolan, Kim. "Jimi Sandhu behind bars in India".
  25. ↑ Bolan, Kim. "Man accused of killing B.C. gangster Jimi Sandhu extradited to Thailand to face trial". Vancouver Sun.
  26. ↑ "DRI arrests key player in three-state drug racket". Hindustan Times. 16 June 2018.
  27. ↑ Bolan, Kim (2018-02-24). "Former Hells Angel loses appeal of his extortion sentence". Vancouver Sun.
  28. 1 2 Langton 2013, p. 225.
  29. 1 2 3 Langton 2013, p. 226.
  30. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Bolan, Kim (January 24, 2020). "Disturbing twist in Metro Vancouver gang war: Rivals post rap songs advocating murder". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  31. ↑ "York police seize guns and drugs in international trafficking bust". thestar.com. April 19, 2021. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  32. ↑ "YRP-led Project Cheetah dismantles international drug-trafficking network". Mississauga.com.
  33. ↑ Rattan Mall (September 10, 2014). "34 South Asian victims in gang-related homicides January 2006-March 2014". Indo-Canadian Voice.
  34. 1 2 3 Bolan, Kim. "He ran a death squad". Prime Time Crime. Vancouver Sun.
  35. ↑ Langton, Jerry (2013). Gangland : the rise of the Mexican drug cartels from El Paso to Vancouver. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. pp. 173–174. ISBN 978-1443427753.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  36. 1 2 3 Police Department, Vancouver (2010). Taking Back Vancouver's Streets : The Truth about Gangs : the Myths and Realities of Gangs in Vancouver. Vancouver Police Department, Planning, Research & Audit.
  37. 1 2 Bolan, Kim (May 2, 2012). "Ranjit Cheema's Two Decades on Vancouver's South Slope".
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  39. ↑ "Indo-Canadian truck drivers from GTA caught in web of North American drug trade". thestar.com. October 14, 2012. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
  40. ↑ "The unusual suspects: How B.C.'s middle-class gangs are unlike any other in North America". CBC.
  41. ↑ "Vancouver/Lower Mainland Violent Deaths 2017". Prime Time Crime.
  42. ↑ "UPDATE: Red Scorpions co-founder killed in Kamloops shooting". Vernon Morning Star. September 22, 2017.
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  44. ↑ Brown, Scott (2020-03-04). "Three boys, all 16, busted in Kelowna with drugs, guns and stacks of cash". Vancouver Sun.
  45. ↑ "IHIT investigating death of gang-linked Gavinder Grewal in North Vancouver | Vancouver Sun".
  46. ↑ "REAL SCOOP: Alleged B.C. hitmen murdered within weeks of Dubai slaying | Vancouver Sun".
  47. ↑ "REAL SCOOP: Murders stem from Wolf Pack internal conflict | Vancouver Sun".
  48. ↑ "Second B.C. kidnapper shot dead after prison release | Vancouver Sun".
  49. ↑ "REAL SCOOP: Surrey murder victim survived earlier shooting in Richmond | Vancouver Sun".
  50. ↑ "Daniel Grewal - Introduction 👀 - The Dirty News". 25 August 2022.
  51. ↑ "Hells Angel shot dead at Starbucks drive-thru in South Surrey | Vancouver Sun".
  52. ↑ "Hells Angels pay respects to slain B.C. biker Suminder Grewal | Vancouver Sun".
  53. ↑ "Richmond murder is suspected retaliation for Kang hit, sources say | Vancouver Sun".
  54. ↑ "REAL SCOOP: Brothers Keepers gangster killed in Coal Harbour shooting | Vancouver Sun".
  55. ↑ "Gangster's execution outside of a busy Vancouver restaurant was carefully planned: Court documents".
  56. ↑ "Lower Mainland gang war erupts with another public shooting | Vancouver Sun".
  57. ↑ "Retired Vancouver cop says fatal Calgary shooting linked to the ongoing lower mainland gang conflict".
  58. ↑ "Surrey gang shooting now a homicide after one victim dies in hospital | Vancouver Sun".
  59. ↑ "Two men charged after drugstore robberies in Surrey and Delta | Vancouver Sun".
  60. ↑ "Brothers Keeper gangster, friend shot to death in Whistler | Vancouver Sun".
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  62. ↑ "Duhre gang: Who are they?". theprovince.
  63. ↑ "Fatal flashpoint: Gurmit Dhak's 2010 murder ignited a gang war that's still raging". vancouversun.
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  66. ↑ Kamath, A P. "How The $16 m Car Theft Racket Was Busted". www.rediff.com.
  67. ↑ Grimaldi, Jeremy (25 November 2016). "Vaughan developer almost kidnapped by 'king of car thieves' gang: police". YorkRegion.com.
  68. ↑ Police, Peel Regional. "Multi-Jurisdictional Investigation Takes Down Prolific Auto Theft Group". Peel Regional Police Media Releases.
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  70. ↑ Cheney, Peter (October 14, 2000). "Toronto crime boss plotted to blow up jail and school". The Globe and Mail.
  71. ↑ "Ontario police bust luxury car theft ring that sold vehicles internationally". Global News.
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  73. ↑ "Police say Independent Soldiers gang eyeing comeback". Daily Courier. 6 February 2015.
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  75. ↑ Man gunned down in Burnaby highrise parking lot has gang links May 27, 2009
  76. ↑ "Independent Soldiers gangster, convicted kidnapper Randy Naicker gunned down in Metro Vancouver | Vancouver Sun".
  77. ↑ "Former Metro Vancouver gangster shot to death in Toronto | Vancouver Sun".
  78. ↑ https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.6441818
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  80. ↑ Larsen, Karin (2021-05-17). "Vancouver police identify 6 known gangsters considered risks to the general public". CBC News.
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  83. 1 2 "High-profile gangster Gary Kang gunned down inside parents' house | Vancouver Sun".
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  86. ↑ "2020 BCSC 685 R. v. Latimer". www.bccourts.ca.
  87. ↑ "Licence plate theft linked to 2017 B.C. gang murder captured on video | Vancouver Sun".
  88. ↑ "The Kang Brothers - Intro - The Dirty News". 3 September 2022.
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  95. ↑ "REAL SCOOP: Nav Sanghera gunned down outside family home - UPDATED | Vancouver Sun".
  96. ↑ "Charge laid in Red Scorpion Matt Campbell's murder | Vancouver Sun".
  97. ↑ "Charges Stayed in January 2014 Killing of Matt Campbell | Abbotsford News". 2 February 2015.
  98. ↑ "REAL SCOOP: BC men linked to local conflict gunned down in Edmonton - UPDATED | Vancouver Sun".
  99. ↑ "A murder in Phuket: B.C. gang conflict moves overseas | Vancouver Sun".
  100. ↑ "Amandeep (Deep) Manj, 23, was arrested".
  101. ↑ "Vancouver gangster caught with loaded gun sentenced to 7.5 years | Vancouver Sun".
  102. ↑ "Gang violence abating, but still 'a plague'". The Globe and Mail. August 13, 2009 – via www.theglobeandmail.com.
  103. ↑ "Sanghera crime family member among two slain in Vancouver on Thursday | Vancouver Sun".
  104. ↑ "REAL SCOOP: Another B.C gangster gunned down in Mexico | Vancouver Sun".
  105. ↑ "Gangster Aman Manj killed after more than a decade in the lifestyle | Vancouver Sun".
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