CRIME: Multicultural group of 13 charged with 66 drugs and firearms offences in Surrey RCMP investigation

AS a result of a 21-month-long investigation into drug trafficking in Surrey, 13 Lower Mainland residents have been charged with a total of 66 drugs and firearms offences.

The arrested include one South Asian: Harjoot Garg of Surrey.

In June 2013, the Surrey RCMP Drug Section began a lengthy investigation into the activities of alleged drug traffickers based out of Surrey. On September 5, 2014, the Surrey RCMP executed four search warrants in connection with the final phase of this project. Large quantities of various drugs were seized during the searches, including fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, MDMA and oxycodone, as well as firearms and money. Over the past seven months, Surrey RCMP Drug Section had been working with Crown Counsel to obtain charge approval based on the evidence gathered in this investigation.

Once charges were approved against the 13 individuals, Surrey RCMP arrested eight of them on March 20. At this point, Lester Ray, Yaeil Jang, Sonny Nguyen, Harjoot Garg and Andres Naranjo remain at large and have outstanding warrants for their arrests.

“This investigation is in keeping with the Surrey RCMP’s commitment to identifying and conducting enforcement on high risk locations and individuals in the City of Surrey,” says Insp. Wade Lymburner, Officer in Charge of Property Crime and Drugs. “Those who traffic in illicit drugs destroy lives, homes and communities and the Surrey RCMP is fully committed to disrupting the criminal activities of individuals involved in illegal drugs.”

 

Charged are:

* Sophon Sek (Surrey)

* Mona Khodabandehloo (Burnaby)

* Glen Hudson (Surrey)

The three together share over 36 counts of trafficking, four counts of possession of controlled drugs and seven firearms-related charges.

* Andres Naranjo (Surrey, three counts of trafficking)

* Yaeil Jang (Port Coquitlam, five counts of trafficking)

* Sonny Nguyen (Surrey, one count of trafficking)

* Francis Le (Surrey, one count of trafficking)

* Lester Ray (Burnaby, two counts of trafficking)

* Dylan Herman (Delta, two counts of trafficking)

* Harjoot Garg (Surrey, two counts of trafficking)

* Daniel Cluett (Surrey, four counts of trafficking, one count of breach of undertaking)

* Two youths (who cannot be named because of their ages) were charged with a total of seven counts of trafficking and three firearms-related counts.

Anyone with information about drug trafficking or any other crimes is asked to contact the Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502 or CrimeStoppers, if they wish to remain anonymous, at 1-800-222-8477 or www.solvecrime.ca.