Update (August 16): Vancouver police officers are searching for 22-year-old Anduele Jonathan Pikientio, who has not been located and is wanted on several warrants. 

After over a year of investigations, Lower Mainland police have dealt significant blows to local organized crime, resulting in dozen of charges.

Today (August 14), Delta Police announced that their drug-section investigation successfully dismantled a drug ring operating in South Delta.  

Project Green Planet was launched in March 2017 after police were informed about a same-named dial-a-dope drug line in Richmond that supplied South Delta and Vancouver.

In autumn 2017, Delta police executed search warrants at the locations of Richmond and Burnaby drug suppliers and line managers, and police seized $50,000 to $100,000 worth of street-level drugs, including fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin; two AR15 assault rifles, two pistols, two bulletproof vests, and an axe/machete; and $52,000 in cash, $30,000 in jewelry, and four luxury vehicles as proceeds of crime.

The master phone controlling the dial-a-dope operations was shut down.

Seven individuals are facing a total of 94 charges.

Four of them are Red Scorpion members who face 66 charges in total, including possession for the purpose of trafficking, firearms offences, and breach of conditions: 27-year-old Kyle Steven Latimer, of Vancouver and Richmond; 26-year-old Khaadim Kwame Coddett, of Richmond; 25-year-old Jacob Angelo Pereira, of Richmond; and 22-year-old Anduele Jonathon Pikientio, of Richmond.

Red Scorpion associate 33-year-old Billie Omare Kim of Burnaby faces 14 charges of possession for the purpose of trafficking, and firearms offences.

Meanwhile, two 27-year-olds from Richmond, James Albert Souliere and 27-year-old Darryl Rick Whitson, also from Richmond, faces a total of 14 charges in trafficking in a controlled substance.

Although Project Green Planet operated separately from the Vancouver Police Department (VPD)'s recent Project Territory, efforts were coordinated as some of the same individuals were targeted.

A multi-agency task force called Task Force Tourniquet, formed in March 2017 and led by the VPD, combined officers from the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of B.C., the RCMP, the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team, and local municipal police departments.

Its most recent investigation, Project Territory, targeted the Kang-Latimer group. The Kang group consists of Kang family members, including Sameet Kang, Gary Kang, and Randy Kang (who is deceased), their parents, and associates. The group is aligned with the Red Scorpions gang, particularly with Jamie Bacon and Kyle Latimer.

On August 10, the VPD announced that the 17-month investigation resulted in the seizure of a pressure-cooker improvised explosive device, 93 firearms, 59 prohibited devices, over 9.5 kilograms of fentanyl and over 40 kilograms of other illicit drugs, $833,000 in cash and $800,000 worth of jewelry, and collectors cars valuing $350,000.

A total of 92 charges were laid, including drug trafficking, firearms possession, participation in a criminal organization, and proceeds from crime.

“In this case, we have charged individuals involved in criminal organization, which includes family members who participated in the criminal dealings," VPD staff Sgt. Lisa Byrne, team commander for Task Force Tourniquet, stated in a news release.

Project Territory has resulted in 14 individuals being charged:

• 27-year-old Kyle Latimer
• 26-year-old Sameet Kang
• 22-year-old Gary Kang
• 55-year-old Craig Latimer
• 29-year-old Csongor Szucs
• 22-year-old Anduele Pikientio
• 25-year-old Jacob Pereira
• 37-year-old Jitesh Vagh
• 21-year-old Kristoffer Ghuman
• 29-year-old Pashminder Boparai
• 30-year-old Manveer Braich
• 48-year-old Ranbir Kang
• 50-yearold Mohanbir Kang
• 68-year-old Gurcharn Kang

Nine unindicted co-conspirators identified by the Project Territory investigation include: James Bacon, Cory Haevischer, Amandeep Mattu, Ranjeev Aujla, Gurvinder Randhawa, Abishake Lohia, Dilraj Gill, Omid Mashinchi, and Jasondeep Uppal

Since Task Force Tourniquet was launched in March 2017, a total of 201 charges for 34 individuals have been laid.