Specialized team, which is celebrating its first anniversary, also makes a ‘significant’ arrest of UN associate in Burnaby
Abbotsford’s Gang Suppression Unit interrupted a contracted hit several months ago at the height of tensions between city gangs, Const. Ian MacDonald said Wednesday.
MacDonald said the specialized team, which is celebrating its first anniversary, has prevented several acts of violence, including the likely attempt on the life of the unnamed gangster. MacDonald said he couldn’t disclose specific details of the murder contract that was thwarted when the gang squad visited the suspected hit men at a local motel in November.
“There was very good information that essentially there was a bounty on the table to take somebody out. The contract was out there. The Gang Suppression Unit received intelligence that there were a couple of hitters in from out of town and the information given was so specific that we actually found out what hotel/motel they were staying at and GSU went to visit them,” he said.
No charges were laid as police had to move in quickly instead of taking time to investigate further, MacDonald said.
“At certain points in time, your victory is not through the courts. Your victory is in public safety,” he said.
“We needed to act and we needed to act quickly and that’s exactly what we did.”
Last year, Abbotsford Police Chief Bob Rich revealed that the newest gang in town was the Duhre group, which was controlling much of the Fraser Valley drug trade.
That gang, headed by a trio of Lower Mainland brothers, reached out to former members of the United Nations Gang, which was foundering after several high-profile members were charged or convicted after a series of investigations.
MacDonald said there was a brief alliance between the two groups that quickly disintegrated last fall.
“That only lasted a few months before the splintering took place. And via that splintering the net effect was a reinvigorating of the UN gang,” he said.
The splintering also led to the murder contract and increased tensions among local gangsters.
“It spoke to the volatility that that power struggle was still in the early stages,” MacDonald said.
Since then, things have settled down and Abbotsford investigators have seen the re-emergence of two distinct drug gangs — the Duhres and the UN.
On Wednesday, the Abbotsford gang unit announced the arrest of a 28-year-old man linked to the UN at a Burnaby drug distribution house where police seized a handgun, cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin.
The suspect has been released on a promise to appear next month on trafficking and firearms charges.
MacDonald said Abbotsford police became aware of the apartment in the 4400-block of Buchanan Street in Burnaby after investigation and surveillance linked it to drug lines in Abbotsford and elsewhere.
Burnaby RCMP aided Abbotsford officers in their investigation.
Police also seized $56,000 from the house.
“This is a significant result for the Abbotsford Police Department’s Gang Suppression Unit and represents the second out-of-jurisdiction warrant the unit has executed in recent months,” MacDonald said.
“The GSU has worked diligently to ensure the safety of the citizens of Abbotsford from threats created by gang-involved people living or plying their trade in our city. This work is not limited by geographic boundaries. Yesterday’s police action clearly improved public safety for two communities.”
MacDonald said the specialized team, which is celebrating its first anniversary, has prevented several acts of violence, including the likely attempt on the life of the unnamed gangster. MacDonald said he couldn’t disclose specific details of the murder contract that was thwarted when the gang squad visited the suspected hit men at a local motel in November.
“There was very good information that essentially there was a bounty on the table to take somebody out. The contract was out there. The Gang Suppression Unit received intelligence that there were a couple of hitters in from out of town and the information given was so specific that we actually found out what hotel/motel they were staying at and GSU went to visit them,” he said.
No charges were laid as police had to move in quickly instead of taking time to investigate further, MacDonald said.
“At certain points in time, your victory is not through the courts. Your victory is in public safety,” he said.
“We needed to act and we needed to act quickly and that’s exactly what we did.”
Last year, Abbotsford Police Chief Bob Rich revealed that the newest gang in town was the Duhre group, which was controlling much of the Fraser Valley drug trade.
That gang, headed by a trio of Lower Mainland brothers, reached out to former members of the United Nations Gang, which was foundering after several high-profile members were charged or convicted after a series of investigations.
MacDonald said there was a brief alliance between the two groups that quickly disintegrated last fall.
“That only lasted a few months before the splintering took place. And via that splintering the net effect was a reinvigorating of the UN gang,” he said.
The splintering also led to the murder contract and increased tensions among local gangsters.
“It spoke to the volatility that that power struggle was still in the early stages,” MacDonald said.
Since then, things have settled down and Abbotsford investigators have seen the re-emergence of two distinct drug gangs — the Duhres and the UN.
On Wednesday, the Abbotsford gang unit announced the arrest of a 28-year-old man linked to the UN at a Burnaby drug distribution house where police seized a handgun, cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin.
The suspect has been released on a promise to appear next month on trafficking and firearms charges.
MacDonald said Abbotsford police became aware of the apartment in the 4400-block of Buchanan Street in Burnaby after investigation and surveillance linked it to drug lines in Abbotsford and elsewhere.
Burnaby RCMP aided Abbotsford officers in their investigation.
Police also seized $56,000 from the house.
“This is a significant result for the Abbotsford Police Department’s Gang Suppression Unit and represents the second out-of-jurisdiction warrant the unit has executed in recent months,” MacDonald said.
“The GSU has worked diligently to ensure the safety of the citizens of Abbotsford from threats created by gang-involved people living or plying their trade in our city. This work is not limited by geographic boundaries. Yesterday’s police action clearly improved public safety for two communities.”
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