6 members of 'prominent and violent' gang face total of 27 charges: B.C. RCMP

The RCMP'sgang suppression unit in British Columbia says it has chargedseveralpeople involved in what it calls a "prominent and violent" gang aftera three-year investigation into a group known as the BrothersKeepers.

In a media briefing Thursday in Surrey, B.C., the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit (CFSEU) revealed the results of its BrothersKeepers Task Force investigation, which began in 2018.

Police announced a total of 27 criminal charges, mostly for drug trafficking, against six people, two of whom remain at large.

The CFSEU said the Brothers Keepers are tied to an uptick in opioid trafficking across B.C.

"CFSEUhas noticed several trends within the Brothers Keepers group, including how they aggressively sought to expand into new markets throughout British Columbia, utilizing reduced drug prices, product branding such as purple fentanyland increased street level drug potency," Sgt. Duncan Pound said.

Over the course of the investigation, police said they executed seven search warrants across the province, during which they seized more than 11 kilograms of drugs including cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl; laboratory equipment and precursor chemicals usedto produceand processsynthetic drugs;a loaded.40 calibre pistol;and more than$50,000 in cash.

The names of thosecharged are:

• Amandeep Singh Kang, 29, from Vancouver, who faces five charges;
• Andrew Miguel Best, 21, from Vancouver Island, who faces four charges;
• Dylan Robert Ferris, 22, from Surrey, who faces five charges, including one firearms charge;
• Jannat Bibi Nadeem, 21, from Surrey, who faces five charges;
• Moshmem Khanun Khan,45, from Surrey, who faces four charges;
• Tanisha Bhatti, 25, from Vancouver, who faces one charge.

Kang, Ferris, Best and Bhatti have been arrested and remainin custody. Khan was arrested and released from custody.

Nadeem hasnot been found by police and a warrant hasbeen issued for her arrest.