Gang leader shot to death in Downtown

Dhure brother is the first 2012 homicide in Vancouver

By Veeno Dewan

Sandip (Dip) Dhure was assassinated in a gang hit in downtown Vancouver on Tuesday. Submitted photo

Vancouver Police confirmed on Thursday that Sandip (Dip) Duhre, 36, was the victim of the fatal shooting at the Bar One restaurant inside the Wall Centre in the 1000 block of Burrard Street in downtown Vancouver on Tuesday. Duhre a kingpin in the Duhre Brother’s crime gang, is the city’s first homicide of 2012.

VPD Constable Lindsey Houghton said police were called to the restaurant shortly after 8:45 p.m. Tuesday. Multiple shots were said to have been fired in the up market restaurant, which was busy with customers, Houghton said.

Sandip was reportedly killed in a hail of bullets. He had been marked for death since 2005.

Sandip, along with his brothers Balraj, 38, and Paul, 35, headed the powerful Duhre crime gang estimated to have 50 to 100 members in the lower mainland. In October 2010, Abbotsford Police named the Duhre Group as the major crime gang operating in the city, after a power vacuum left by the arrests of several high ranking Red Scorpion gang members and the notorious Bacon brother’s gang.

The Duhre’s are said to have controlled much of the drug trade in the Fraser Valley since the erosion of their rivals. Several drug arrests in Abbotsford in 2010 and 2011 involved people believed to be linked to the Duhre Group. In September 2011, the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit’s gang task force issued a public warning that anyone linked to the Duhre or Dhak groups could be at risk, following the shooting of associate Jujhar Singh Khun-Khun in Surrey.

That incident was investigated as possible retaliation for the mass shooting in Kelowna that killed Abbotsford’s Jonathan Bacon – a purported Red Scorpion – and wounded a Hells Angel and Independent Soldier, as well as two young women.

The police said Duhre’s were spreading across Metro Vancouver after reportedly extending their empire to Smithers in northern B.C. in 2010. “We have information that leads us to believe that anybody associated with the Duhre or Dhak group is subject to retaliation or to violence from other gangs they’re in conflict with,” said Supt. Tom McCluskie at the time.

Sandip and his two brothers – Balraj and Paul – grew up in North Vancouver and were known to associate with notorious gangster Bindy Johal. Sandip had been living in Surrey, but was well know to police in Abbotsford area.

He was previously convicted of uttering threats, obstructing a police officer, and possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose.

Sandip was no stranger to danger and was also the alleged target of a foiled hit outside the Mac’s convenience store on 120 Street in Delta in May 2005, when his friend Dean Mohammed Elshamy was killed.

Sandip’s brother, Balraj, has been the subject of three targeted shootings: in 2003, when he was shot in the face in Surrey; in July 2005 while he was in his bulletproof car; and in October 2005 when he was wounded while eating at a Vancouver Vietnamese restaurant. Sandip was also reported to be the targets of several contracted hits in 2010 that did not take place.

Sandip’s most recent altercation with the police was in Surrey in March 2011, when he was charged with fleeing from a police officer and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle. That case was supposed to start in Surrey provincial court in November of 2012.

“These are incidents that put the innocent public at risk for their lives,” Houghton said about the Tuesday shooting. TV reports showed a bullet hole and splattered blood on a second-story window of the restaurant and a body lying on the floor of the restaurant.

Vancouver Det. Const. Doug Spencer said at a press conference a few months ago, he had concerns of a looming gang war, “There will be shootings for sure. For the most part, it’s bad guy versus bad guy but if you interfere in their business, if you are in the wrong nightclub at the wrong time, you’re totally at risk,” he added. “They really don’t care. They’re not good with verbal skills, these guys.”

Anyone linked to two Indo Canadian gangs- the Duhre and Dhak crime groups could get caught in the cross fire of a gang war, RCMP Supt. Tom McCluskie, head of the Gang Task Force, also warned at the press conference.

In a previous interview Baldev Duhre, the father of the Duhre brothers told the Vancouver Sun’s Kim Bolan, his sons have been desperately trying to leave the gang scene, but were having problems as so many other gangsters had scores to settle with them. Police said the likelihood of revenge killings is high but did not want to speculate further. The investigation is ongoing. There are no suspects at time of press and police are appealing for anyone who has any possible information to get in touch with them.

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Posted by admin on Jan 20 2012. Filed under British Columbia, Top Stories. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.