Major gun and drug bust in Vancouver: 4 gang associates arrested and charged

A major gun and drug bust in Vancouver has led to four gang associates being arrested and charged with various drug-trafficking and firearms-related offences.

This investigation by the Vancouver Police Department (VPD), named Project Tariff, took five months and ended with the seizure of eight firearms and more than two kilograms of heroin, fentanyl, and other synthetic opiates.

Project Tariff was initiated by the VPD in March to investigate the activities of the Heer/Dhillon/Samra crime group, which was believed to be in conflict with other crimes groups involved in drug-trafficking and criminal activity throughout Metro Vancouver.

“We launched Project Tariff in response to increased reports of incidents of shots fired in Vancouver and the ongoing crime related to gang activity,” said Supt. Mike Porteous, Investigative Services, VPD. “Over the course of the investigation, we obtained substantial evidence of trafficking of firearms, fentanyl, and other illicit opioids by this group.”

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Charges have now been approved against:

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Jagraj Mushki Nijjar, 23, of Vancouver: charged with possession of a non-restricted firearm.

Jaskaran Singh Heer, 22, of Vancouver: charged with possession of a loaded restricted firearm, intentionally discharging a restricted firearm, possession of a restricted firearm, and possession of a firearm while prohibited.

Harjot Singh Samra, 21, of Vancouver: charged with firearms trafficking and drug trafficking.

Gary Gurpreet Dhillon, 25, of Richmond: charged with possession of proceeds of crime contrary to CDSA 5(1) and CCC 354(1)(a), and drug trafficking.

The Vancouver police have also released a list of the firearms seized:

• JR (Just Right) 9mm carbine semi-automatic rifle
• Pietta PPS/50 .22 semi-automatic rifle
• Remington 870 20-gauge pump-action shotgun
• Maverick 12-gauge pump action sawed-off shotgun (prohibited)
• Browning model A-Bolt action rifle
• Three Kel Tec Sub2000 9mm semi-automatic rifles

Here is a list of the drugs seized:

• 26.97 grams (one ounce) of heroin, fentanyl, and carfentanil
• 971 grams of swabbed positive for heroin and methylfentanyl (has yet to be analyzed by Health Canada)
• 1,021 grams of fentanyl