B.C. bloodshed garners international attention

Vancouver is known for its scenic beauty and high standard of living. But in recent years, the city has been making headlines for less enviable reasons. Street gangs have sparked a wave of violence that has left dozens of people dead.

Last year, a gang war heated up and resulted in many shootings. In the first six months of 2009 alone 24 people were killed and dozens more were wounded.

The bloodshed garnered international attention. “Once upon a very recent time, Vancouver had a clean, safe image,” said an article in the British newspaper, the Independent. “As it prepares to host the 2010 Winter Olympics, what it’s got now is not cuddly, eco-friendly publicity, but blood-spattered streets littered with shell casings and corpses.”

Police attributed the bloodshed to a handful of gangs fighting over a dwindling supply of cocaine from Mexico — The Mexican government had initiated a crackdown on the cartels that sent cocaine to the U.S. and Canada – and local marijuana, which the gangs use to acquire the cocaine.

The Independent Soldiers and the United Nations gangs fought for control of the drugs with a handful of gangs, including the Red Scorpions, the Buttar Gang, the Sanghera Crime Group and Hell’s Angels.

Also contributing to the violence was a turf war between the United Nations gang and the Red Scorpions. That conflict started in 2007 when six men were shot and killed in Surrey, B.C.

Gang violence subsided somewhat after a crackdown in which police seized firearms and arrested several high-profile men. But a few weeks ago, Vancouver authorities reported an increase in tension between gangs and warned of another spate of shootings.

Their fear was well-founded. An outburst of gunfire at 2 a.m. on December 13th left ten people injured, two critically, in an upscale Vancouver neighbourhood. Police are vowing to crack down on the violence. Still, Hell’s Angels and these gangs will likely continue to make headlines in the coming weeks:

Independent Soldiers

One of the most well-known gangs on Canada’s West Coast, the Independent Soldiers is involved in drug distribution, turf wars, money laundering, and other criminal activities. The gang includes members of various ethnic backgrounds but Indo-Canadians fill most of the higher positions. The group’s clashes with the United Nations gang and the Hells Angels have allegedly resulted in many unsolved murders, drive-by shootings.

United Nations

Authorities view the United Nations Gang, which has members from various ethnic groups, as the most violent in the area. The gang was founded by Clay Royeche and some friends 13 years ago and now includes about a hundred members. Police have investigated links to drug trafficking and murders. The gang has formed alliances with other groups in various regions of the country and has developed international connections. American authorities say the group has even purchased its own aircraft for cross-border drug runs. The gang has a bitter rivalry with the Red Scorpions.

Red Scorpions

This gang was formed in a young offenders facility in 2000 and includes members of various ethnic groups. They are involved in drug trafficking and many serious crimes and are thought to have strong international ties. The gang has been linked to some of the bloodiest shootings in the Vancouver area.

Buttar Gang

This gang, formed by Manny Buttar, is considered exceptionally ruthless and violent and is thought to have been involved in hundreds of murders before the recent spate of violence erupted. The Buttars, mostly Indo-Canadian, have allegedly extorted money from new immigrants of the same ethnic background.

Sanghera Crime Group

The Sanghera Crime is a family business, so to speak, and was established by first-generation Indian immigrant Udham Singh Sanghera. He made his sons major leaders of the organization and they, in turn, recruited cousins and other relatives to help run drugs. Police say that, in the last ten years, the gang has been involved in shootings, abductions, robberies, home invasions, racketeering and extortion. When members of this gang started dabbling in the drug trade, they clashed with the Buttars.