Were planning to shoot up two Surrey houses
Surrey: Surrey Mounties have nabbed six young South Asian men for allegedly planning to shoot up two houses in the city.
The arrests are part of the police’s continued efforts to fight the epidemic of gun violence, largely related to the drugs trade, that has swept the city in the last few months. More than 50 shootings, many resulting in fatalities, have occurred.
Much of the violence has involved South Asian gangs.
The Surrey RCMP said that through the course of the investigation into the drug-related conflicts in Surrey, a number of individuals were strategically targeted by police.
“Recently, information was obtained that individuals had plans to commit an act of violence using a firearm. Together with the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit (CFSEU-BC) and the Lower Mainland Emergency Response Team (ERT), the Surrey RCMP was able to prevent multiple shootings and subsequently arrest the individuals,” the statement said.
The following individuals have been arrested as a result of this investigation:
- Manpreet Michael Johal, 24 years old from Delta, Conspiracy to commit the indictable offence of reckless discharge of a firearm x 2;
- Himmat Singh Virk, 18 years from Surrey, Conspiracy to commit the indictable offence of reckless discharge of a firearm x 2;
- Baltej Singh Gill, 18 years from Surrey, Conspiracy to commit the indictable offence of reckless discharge of a firearm;
- Randeep Singh Johal, 18 years, from Surrey, Conspiracy to commit the indictable offence of reckless discharge of a firearm.
Baltej Gill had been previously arrested and charged with four firearms-related offences.
A Young Offender, who was also previously arrested on four firearms-related charges, is co-accused in these matters and cannot be named due to his age at the time of the offences.
A sixth man has been arrested and cannot be named, as charges have not yet been approved.
“I believe that the arrest of these individuals has prevented further violence from occurring in our city,” says Assistant Commissioner Bill Fordy, Lower Mainland District Commander and Acting Officer in Charge of the Surrey RCMP.
“Public safety remains our priority and we are fully committed to not only disrupting violent activity, but conducting in-depth investigations that can assist in the advancement of prosecutions.”
Since March, more than 30 arrests have been made and 15 firearms, along with thousands of rounds of various ammunition and body armour, have been seized in relation to the conflict and its associated crimes.
These arrests are a part of Surrey RCMP’s on-going overt and covert enforcement action to proactively and strategically target those individuals involved in the drug trade and its resulting violence.
The combined efforts of the Surrey RCMP and CFSEU-BC have led to a decrease in the number of shots-fired incidents in the past four months.
“Effective policing strategies in BC must include law enforcement partnerships across jurisdictions and we continue to support the Surrey RCMP in our collective fight against groups and individuals who pose the greatest risk to public safety in British Columbia,” said Chief Superintendent Kevin Hackett, the CFSEU-BC’s Chief Officer.
“Those who continue to involve themselves in gang and violent activity need to understand that we will relentlessly pursue you with all our ability until you decide to end your gang life.”
Police are appealing to the public for further information on any criminal activities of those who have been recently arrested. Anyone with more information is asked to contact the Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502 or Crime Stoppers, if they wish to remain anonymous, at 1-800-222-TIPS or www.solvecrime.ca.
