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New West Police and BC anti-gang task force investigation results in seizure of guns, large amounts of cocaine and fentanyl, and arrest of 5 men

Darpan News Desk CFSEU-BC, 08 Mar, 2023 04:55 PM

New Westminster Police, BC's anti-gang task force began an investigation into an alleged firearms trafficker in the fall of 2022 that eventually led officers to others who were involved in the sale of illegal firearms. In January CFSEU-BC investigators were able to seize several firearms, including:

2 Kodiak Defence rifles with prohibited magazines and ammunition;
a Polymer 80 handgun with suppressor, prohibited magazine and ammunition;
a 1911-style .45 calibre privately made handgun with suppressor and ammunition;
a .50 calibre rifle with ammunition;
three Glock handguns;
a Ruger handgun; and
a Beretta handgun, along with additional ammunition, prohibited firearms-related devices, and
suppressors.

On Tuesday, several search warrants were executed at various residences and businesses in Langley, New Westminster, Burnaby, Coquitlam, North Vancouver, and Maple Ridge that resulted in the seizure of:

6 handguns
One .30 calibre rifle with prohibited magazine
One auto sear firearms part capable of making a firearm fully automatic
Quantities of suspected fentanyl
Approximately 1 kg of suspected cocaine
80 litres of suspected PMK, a controlled substance precursor for making MDMA
Body armour pieces
Numerous prohibited firearms magazines and firearms parts
Various calibres of ammunition
Canadian currency

On March 7th, charges were laid by BC Prosecution Service against five men.

1. Arman Anthony Giordano, a 24-year-old man from Maple Ridge, has been charged with:
15 counts of manufacturing or transferring a prohibited firearm, a restricted firearm or a
non-restricted firearm.

2. Brandon Vuong Nguyen, a 28-year-old man from Burnaby, has been charged with:
6 counts of manufacturing or transferring a prohibited firearm, a restricted firearm or a
non-restricted firearm.

3. Ali Sabha Taghan, a 39-year-old man from Langley, has been charged with:
5 counts of manufacturing or transferring a prohibited firearm, a restricted firearm or a
non-restricted firearm

4. Derek Melville Johnston, a 33-year-old man from North Vancouver, has been charged with:
3 counts of manufacturing or transferring a prohibited firearm, a restricted firearm or a
non-restricted firearm

5. Jerry Lino, a 30-year-old man from Coquitlam, has been charged with
1 count of manufacturing or transferring a prohibited firearm, a restricted firearm or a
non-restricted firearm

All were arrested at various locations throughout the Lower Mainland on March 7th and have remained in custody overnight. The investigation remains ongoing and BC's anti-gang task force anticipates that more charges may be forthcoming.

“Firearms in the hands of the wrong people pose one of the greatest risks to public safety. We have seen time and time again that trafficked firearms, no matter where they come from, are being used in crime and too often end up connected to tragedy,” says Inspector Joel Hussey, CFSEU-BC Operations Officer. “CFSEU-BC and its policing partners in British Columbia and across the country are determined to stop illegal firearms trafficking and reduce the impact that firearms-related violence has on our communities.”

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