BC Gangsters List: The Most Infamous Criminal Organizations in British Columbia
- staysafevancouver
- Aug 2
- 16 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
The Brothers Keepers. Red Scorpions. UN gang. Hells Angels. Their names keep turning up in police files, crime scenes, and wiretaps.
These groups traffic fentanyl and cocaine, run distribution through the Port of Vancouver, and leave bodies behind when deals fall apart.
Here’s a breakdown of the gangs running B.C.’s drug scene — who’s in charge, who’s getting shot, and who’s next.
BC Gangsters List:
B.C. Gangsters List
Wolfpack Alliance
Jonathan Bacon was shot dead outside a Kelowna hotel in 2011, gunned down while sitting in an SUV with Hells Angel Larry Amero and associate James Riach. The hit exposed a secret alliance that had already formed between major players from rival gangs — and kicked off a years-long gang war in B.C.
Image: Left: One of the Wolfpack gang founders, Larry Amero, also of the Hells Angels is pictured with the late Randy Naicker (right) who founded the Independent Soldiers. Naicker was shot to death in 2012 in Port Moody. Amero was arrested and charged in relation to 2012 murder plots of Sandip Duhre and Sukhveer Dhak. (Vancouver Sun)
The group behind it? The The Wolfpack Alliance, a coalition built in 2010 that brought together Amero (Hells Angels), Bacon (Red Scorpions), and Randy Naicker (Independent Soldiers). It wasn’t a turf crew. It was a business operation, tied directly to Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel.
At their peak, they were moving hundreds of kilos of cocaine each month into Canada, using encrypted comms, port access, and front companies. They partnered with the Alkhalil family and Montreal’s West End Gang, locking down routes from Vancouver to Toronto to Montreal.
But the alliance didn’t last.
Naicker was murdered in 2012. Amero was arrested the same year for plotting hits on Sandip Duhre and Sukh Dhak.
The brand still exists — but most of the original crew is either dead, in hiding, or behind bars.
The 856 Gang
The 856 Gang is a criminal organization that originated in Aldergrove, British Columbia, in the early 2000s. The gang takes its name from the Aldergrove telephone prefix (856) and initially started as a small group of local youth involved in vandalism, theft, and violent altercations.
However, by the late 2000s, it had evolved into a structured criminal network engaging in drug trafficking, arms trafficking, extortion, and violent crime.
Early Activity & Rise in Crime
By 2007, the group had drawn the attention of law enforcement after establishing connections with Len Pelletier, a Hells Angels associate.
That same year, Pelletier's vehicle was shot at, leading to police scrutiny and the arrest of six core members, some of whom were minors at the time.
Law enforcement initially believed this would dismantle the gang, but by 2013, the 856 Gang had re-emerged—more organized and heavily armed, operating in British Columbia, Alberta, the Yukon, and the Northwest Territories.
Expansion & Drug Trade
By 2014, the 856 Gang was running a multi-million-dollar drug operation, with cocaine, meth, and heroin distribution at the core of its business. Police raids in Langley, Yellowknife and Whitehorse uncovered sophisticated drug processing and distribution centers.
The gang also became known for its violent enforcement tactics, including drive-by shootings and targeted killings.
Conflict & Murder of Hells Angel Bob Green
The gang maintained an uneasy relationship with the Hells Angels, supplying drugs in regions outside of the motorcycle gang’s primary territory.
However, in October 2016, the alliance shattered when Jason Wallace, a high-ranking 856 member, shot and killed Hells Angels leader Bob Green during a drug-fueled party in Langley.
The killing led to an immediate crackdown, with Wallace turning himself in to police and Shaun Clary, another 856 associate, being brutally murdered in retaliation.
Current Status
Today, despite multiple high-profile arrests and law enforcement crackdowns, the 856 Gang remains active, particularly in British Columbia and the Northwest Territories.
Their rivalry with the Hells Angels and United Nations gang has led to continued violence, but they maintain a foothold in the criminal underworld through strategic alliances with groups like the Red Scorpions.
Alkhalil Family: From Refugees To Crime Kingpins
The Alkhalil family arrived in Canada as Palestinian refugees, seeking a new life away from the instability of the Middle East. But, their name would soon become synonymous with drug trafficking, violent gang wars, and high-profile murders in BC.
Entry Into the Criminal World
The five brothers—Khalil, Mahmoud, Nabil, Hisham, and Rabih (Robby) Alkhalil—were involved in organized crime from an early age.
Originally aligned with the Independent Soldiers, a street gang in B.C.’s Lower Mainland, their ambitions quickly outgrew local turf wars.
Robby Alkhalil and his associates formed the Wolfpack Alliance, a criminal network that included the Hells Angels, the West End Gang, and Mexican cartels, giving them international reach.
Gang Feuds and Murders That Defined Their Rise
The Alkhalils' involvement in the province’s gang wars led to bloodshed, retribution, and a lasting feud with the Dhak-Duhre group.
2001 - The Murder of Khalil Alkhalil
Khalil, only 19 years old, was shot six times in front of a Surrey apartment.
His killer, Martin Naud, claimed self-defense, stating Khalil had tried to rob him during a drug deal.
The Alkhalil family believed that the Dhak-Duhre group helped Naud, fueling a bitter war.
2003 - The Death of Mahmoud Alkhalil
Mahmoud, an Independent Soldiers member, was shot inside Vancouver’s Loft Six nightclub during a shootout involving the Hells Angels.
Despite his death being linked to the Hells Angels, the Alkhalils blamed Sandip “Dip” Duhre, escalating tensions with the Dhak-Duhre gang.
2012 - Assassinations of Sandip Duhre and Johnny Raposo
As a leader of the Wolfpack Alliance, Robby Alkhalil ordered the high-profile execution of Duhre, carried out inside the Sheraton Wall Centre in Vancouver.
He also arranged for his hitman, Dean Michael Wiwchar, to kill Raposo in broad daylight in Toronto, believing him to be an informant.
Drug Empire and International Connections
By the 2010s, the Alkhalil family had become a key link in international drug trafficking operations.
Montreal became a stronghold for Robby Alkhalil, where he controlled a lucrative cocaine pipeline linked to the Sinaloa Cartel.
The Wolfpack Alliance was trafficking an estimated 400 kg of cocaine per month, moving drugs through the Port of Montreal and B.C.'s west coast.
Cartel protection gave the Alkhalils influence, but their increasing ambition made them a prime target for law enforcement.
Arrests, Trial & Robby Alkhalil’s Prison Escape
As law enforcement cracked down, several Alkhalil brothers faced prison time, while others met violent ends.
2013 - Robby Alkhalil was arrested in Greece under a fake passport and extradited to Canada.
2017 - Convicted of first-degree murder for ordering the killing of Raposo.
2021 - Stood trial for orchestrating multiple gangland killings, including Sandip Duhre and Sukh Dhak.
2022 - Escaped from North Fraser Pretrial Centre, a maximum-security facility, in a meticulously planned breakout.
His disappearance humiliated Canadian law enforcement, with many officers believing he fled the country within hours.
The RCMP placed a $250,000 reward for his capture, naming him Canada’s most wanted fugitive.
The Bacon Brothers: A Notorious Criminal Trio
The Bacon brothers — Jonathan, Jarrod, and Jamie — were key figures in the Lower Mainland gang war between the Red Scorpions, United Nations gang, and Hells Angels-affiliated groups.
Origins and Rise to Power
The Bacon family was originally from Edmonton, Alberta, before moving to Abbotsford, British Columbia. The brothers were raised in a middle-class home, with their father working as a special needs teacher and their mother as a property manager.
Despite their seemingly stable upbringing, all three brothers became involved in the criminal world during their teenage years.
Jonathan Bacon (1981–2011), the eldest, was suspected of being a major player in B.C.'s drug trade.
Jarrod Bacon (born 1983) had a reputation for violence and intimidation.
Jamie Bacon (born 1985) was considered the most dangerous, taking leadership within the Red Scorpions gang.
The Surrey Six Massacre
In 2007, Jamie Bacon orchestrated what became one of Canada’s most infamous gang killings—the Surrey Six Massacre. The murders took place on October 19, 2007, in a high-rise apartment in Surrey, B.C., where six people, including two innocent bystanders, were executed. The killings were ordered to eliminate Corey Lal, a rival drug dealer, who refused to pay extortion money to the Red Scorpions.
The Bacon brothers were not the shooters, but Jamie was later convicted as the “chief architect” of the plot.
Surrey Six Massacre Victims & injuries
Michael Lal: Shot twice in the back, one bullet puncturing his lung and the other his heart
Corey Lal: Shot twice in the head
Mohan: Shot twice, once in the head and once in the neck
Schellenberg: Shot twice in the head
Bartolomeo: Shot six times, four in the back and two in the right hand
Narong: Shot twice, once in the head and once in the neck
The Gang War
The Bacon brothers aligned with the Red Scorpions, partnering with Hells Angels members like Larry Amero. Their rivalry with the United Nations gang and the Dhak-Duhre group led to dozens of shootings, bomb plots, and targeted assassinations across BC.
By 2008, police publicly warned the public that associating with the Bacon brothers put lives at risk, as gang conflicts escalated into broad daylight shootings.
Murder of Jonathan Bacon (2011)
On August 14, 2011, Jonathan Bacon was shot and killed outside the Delta Grand Hotel in Kelowna, B.C. The attack also critically injured Hells Angel member Larry Amero and left a waitress paralyzed.
Authorities believe the murder was orchestrated by rivals in retaliation for previous killings. The death of Jonathan marked a turning point in the gang war, leading to further retaliatory attacks.
Arrests and Convictions
Jamie Bacon (Surrey Six Case)
Arrested in 2009 for his role in the Surrey Six killings.
The trial faced delays due to police misconduct, including an RCMP officer having an affair with a key witness.
In 2020, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder and was sentenced to 18 years, reduced due to time served.
Jarrod Bacon (Cocaine Conspiracy Case)
In 2009, Jarrod Bacon was caught on a wiretap trying to buy 100 kilograms of cocaine. He later claimed he planned to steal it, but was convicted in 2012 and sentenced to 12 years in prison.
Current Status
Jamie Bacon: In prison, eligible for release in 2026.
Jarrod Bacon: Released on parole in 2020 after multiple violations.
Jonathan Bacon: Killed in Kelowna in 2011.
The Big Circle Gang: The Global Crime Syndicate
The Big Circle Gang is a transnational organized crime syndicate that emerged from Mao Zedong’s Communist purges of the 1950s.
Originally composed of ex-Red Guards and ultra-leftists imprisoned in Chinese labor camps, the gang evolved into a brutal and disciplined criminal organization.
After escaping to Hong Kong in the 1970s, they expanded into Canada, the U.S., and beyond, engaging in drug trafficking, human smuggling, extortion, and assassinations.
Influence in Canada
By the 1990s, the Big Circle Gang had established a stronghold in Vancouver and Toronto, collaborating with groups like the United Nations Gang, Red Scorpions, and Independent Soldiers. Their operations included kidnappings, home invasions, and targeted executions.
One of their most notorious killings was the assassination of Hong Chao “Raymond” Huang, a high-ranking drug trafficker who was gunned down outside his mansion in Vancouver’s Shaughnessy neighborhood.
His 10-year-old daughter called the police, and the murder highlighted the gang’s global drug connections spanning Toronto, the U.S., Australia, Hong Kong, and China.
Key Figures: Tse Chi Lop
Tse Chi Lop, an alleged kingpin of the Sam Gor Syndicate (The Company), was arrested in 2021 at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport after a decade-long international manhunt.
Extradited to Australia in 2022, he faces charges related to a multibillion-dollar methamphetamine operation, responsible for 70% of Australia’s drug imports. Authorities seized millions in cash, designer goods, and a yellow Lamborghini linked to his empire.
A Decentralized Global Network
By the 2000s, the Big Circle Gang had shifted to a decentralized model, specializing in fentanyl trafficking, cyber fraud, and cryptocurrency laundering.
Vancouver’s criminal landscape has seen its fair share of power struggles, but few have been as violent and calculated as the Brothers Keepers (some say the name is "My Brothers Keepers").
Founded in 2017 by Gavinder Singh Grewal, the gang has rapidly expanded across BC, Alberta, and Ontario, forging alliances with the Hells Angels and the Driftwood Crips while waging bloody wars against the United Nations Gang and the Kang Crime Group.
Their rise was fueled by extreme violence, strategic alliances, and an unrelenting pursuit of dominance in the drug trade. In 2016, a pair of Brothers Keepers associates executed a Turkish drug kingpin in Dubai, only to be murdered themselves upon returning to Canada.
From targeted assassinations to transnational drug networks, the Brothers Keepers have evolved into a ruthless, business-oriented empire, using branded drug products and competitive pricing to dominate the narcotics trade.
Their operations stretch far beyond street-level crime, with money laundering, contract killings, and arms trafficking all part of their playbook.
Despite law enforcement crackdowns—most notably, the 2024 sentencing of key member Aman Kang to 11 years in prison—the gang remains a dominant force, with ties to organized crime stretching far beyond Vancouver.
Investigators warn that even with leadership shakeups, the Brothers Keepers continue to adapt and expand, cementing their place as one of Canada’s most dangerous criminal organizations.
💀 How did they rise to power? Who’s still running the show?
Hells Angels in British Columbia
The Hells Angels in BC are more than just an outlaw motorcycle gang; they are an organized crime empire entrenched in drug trafficking, extortion, and financial crimes.
Operating through multiple chapters across the province, the East End Vancouver chapter remains one of the wealthiest in the country, controlling key smuggling routes through the Port of Vancouver.
Hells Angels B.C. Chapters & Territories
The Hells Angels have a presence across British Columbia, with major chapters in:
East End Vancouver
White Rock
Nanaimo
Kelowna
Haney, Mission City, and Hardside
Despite law enforcement crackdowns, they continue to operate discreetly, using business fronts, puppet clubs, and international partnerships to maintain their dominance.
Clubhouses & Criminal Operations
Several Hells Angels clubhouses have been seized by the B.C. government, including those in Vancouver, Nanaimo, and Kelowna. But, the gang continues to function, with new meeting spots and underground networks that avoid detection.
Their grip on drug trafficking is strengthened by their access to Vancouver’s ports, where shipments of cocaine, fentanyl precursors, and methamphetamine are smuggled in and out with minimal interference.
Strict Membership Rules and Internal Enforcement
Membership in the Hells Angels is exclusive, with severe consequences for anyone attempting to leave or defy the club. Wearing their patch without permission is forbidden, and internal discipline is often violent and permanent. Their numerical codes—81 and 86—represent their allegiance and ruthless enforcement tactics.
Independent Soldiers
The Independent Soldiers (IS) emerged in Vancouver’s gangland during the 1990s, first as street-level drug dealers before evolving into a feared mid-tier gang. After Bindy Johal’s 1998 assassination, the group tried to establish itself as an independent force but quickly fell under the influence of the Hells Angels.
By the early 2000s, the IS was no longer independent. The Loft Six nightclub shooting in 2003 led to their eventual absorption into the Hells Angels' criminal network, where they served as enforcers and drug traffickers.
Under Randy Naicker’s leadership, the IS briefly attempted to expand, aligning with the Wolfpack Alliance—a coalition of the Hells Angels, Red Scorpions, and various other crime groups. However, Naicker was executed in 2012, effectively ending the gang’s independence.
By the 2020s, the Wolfpack Alliance fractured, leaving IS members vulnerable. The murder of Don Lyons in 2024, one of the gang’s original figures, marked yet another nail in their coffin.
Today, the Independent Soldiers exist in name only, their remnants either absorbed into other gangs or targeted for elimination.
Dhak-Duhre Group
The assassination of Gurmit Singh Dhak in 2010 stirred a series of events. Dhak, a key figure in the Dhak-Duhre Group, was executed in what many believe was a calculated move by the Wolfpack Alliance—a powerful coalition that included the Hells Angels, Red Scorpions, and Independent Soldiers.
His death triggered a relentless cycle of retaliatory killings, including the Kelowna shooting in 2011, which left Red Scorpions leader Jonathan Bacon dead and Hells Angel Larry Amero critically injured. The war escalated with the public execution of Sandip Duhre in 2012 at Vancouver’s Sheraton Wall Centre, followed by the murder of Sukh Dhak in the lobby of the Executive Hotel in Burnaby.
By 2013, the Dhak-Duhre Group was effectively dismantled, but the violence did not end—it evolved. In the years that followed, new factions emerged, including the Brothers Keepers, a gang with ties to former Dhak-Duhre associates. The conflict intensified once again, culminating in the brazen public execution of Brothers Keepers leader Meninder Dhaliwal in Whistler in 2021.
As rival groups weakened each other, a new power rose in the shadows—the Kang Group, a strategic and highly organized faction of the Brothers Keepers. Led by Barinder “Shrek” Dhaliwal, the Kang Group dominated the Lower Mainland drug trade by recruiting young gangsters early, forging direct alliances with the Hells Angels, and eliminating competitors with precision.
Kang Crime Group
The Kang Crime Group emerged as a dominant force in BC’s gangland warfare, led by Sameet, Gary, and Randeep Kang. Initially aligned with the Brothers Keepers, internal power struggles led to their violent split, escalating the Lower Mainland gang war into one of the deadliest conflicts in Vancouver’s history.
This rivalry resulted in a string of high-profile assassinations, including:
Randeep Kang (2017) – Gunned down outside his home in Surrey.
Gary Kang (2021) – Executed inside his parents’ South Surrey residence.
Meninder Dhaliwal (2022) – A Brothers Keepers leader killed in Whistler in broad daylight.
At the heart of the gang’s operations was a multi-million-dollar drug empire, trafficking fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine across BC and Alberta. Their influence extended into money laundering through real estate and casinos, as well as illegal firearms smuggling from the U.S.
However, by 2024, the Kang Crime Group had collapsed.
Sameet Kang’s imprisonment cut off leadership.
The deaths of Randeep and Gary dismantled their power base.
Police crackdowns resulted in major drug seizures, arrests, and financial asset forfeitures.
Despite the Kang Crime Group’s downfall, organized crime in Metro Vancouver remains active. The power vacuum left behind has already given rise to new factions and rivalries, ensuring that BC’s underworld war is far from over.
The Red Scorpions Gang
The Red Scorpions emerged in early 2000s BC, founded by Michael Le, Konaam Shirzad, Matthew Johnston and Tejinder Malli inside a youth detention center.
Unlike ethnically exclusive gangs, the Red Scorpions prioritized loyalty over race, growing into a ruthless drug-trafficking empire. Their dial-a-dope operations and violent enforcement tactics quickly made them one of Vancouver’s most dangerous criminal organizations.
The gang’s notoriety peaked in 2007 with the Surrey Six massacre, where six people, including two innocent bystanders, were executed under orders from Jamie Bacon.
This crime triggered a major police crackdown, leading to the arrests and convictions of key figures, including Cody Haevischer, Matthew Johnston, and Michael Le.
Despite the fall of its original leaders, the Red Scorpions remained active, though fractured by internal disputes, law enforcement pressure, and violent conflicts with rival gangs like the United Nations and Brothers Keepers.
The Shui Fong gang (Chinese: 水房幫), also known as Wo On Lok (和安樂), is one of Hong Kong’s most powerful triad groups, with origins in 1930s Sham Shui Po.
Founded as a workers’ union at the Connaught Aerated Water Company, it has grown into a transnational syndicate involved in extortion, drug trafficking, loan sharking, and vice operations across Asia and beyond.
The gang’s Canadian presence came to light with the case of Lai Tong Sang, alleged dragon head of the Shui Fong in Macau. In summary:
Lai arrived in Vancouver on October 28, 1996, during a violent gang war in Macau involving rival triad 14K and its leader “Broken Tooth Koi.”
Less than a year later, in July 1997, Lai’s home was the target of a drive-by shooting, reportedly ordered by 14K members in Canada on behalf of Hong Kong counterparts.
Despite mounting evidence of criminal ties and money laundering—including $2.1 million CAD and $140,000 USD transferred through 49 electronic transactions—Canadian authorities faced years of delay. Police wiretaps, previously inaccessible, revealed a HK$1 million bounty on Lai’s life, confirming his senior rank within the Shui Fong.
Deportation
In August 2013, the Immigration and Refugee Board ruled Lai inadmissible and ordered his deportation. His case exposed a significant flaw in Canada’s ability to act against transnational organized crime when reliant on foreign intelligence.
Beyond Canada, the Shui Fong is active in Ireland, Benelux, and the United Kingdom, where its activities have included illegal gambling, video piracy, and contract killings.
In 1985, Glasgow businessman Philip Wong, an alleged Shui Fong adviser (白紙扇), was murdered with machetes. In 1991, London businessman Ying Kit Lam was shot four times during an internal power struggle. The resulting Old Bailey trial in 1992 was the first British court case where a member of a Chinese criminal society gave evidence.
Although Canadian authorities have not confirmed broader Shui Fong operations within the country, the Lai Tong Sang case illustrates how triads can quietly extend their influence across borders—and how long it can take to remove them.
United Nations Gang
On May 9, 2008, 23-year-old audio installer Jonathan Barber was shot dead while driving a custom Porsche Cayenne along Kingsway in Burnaby. The vehicle belonged to Red Scorpion gang member Jonathan Bacon, but Barber had no gang affiliations. He was mistaken for Bacon by members of the rival United Nations (UN) gang, who had been surveilling the SUV.
As Barber passed 14th Avenue, the gunmen opened fire. His girlfriend, following in a separate vehicle, was also shot but survived. The attack pulled public attention to a group that had been operating in the shadows.
Founded in the late 1990s by Clayton Roueche, the UN gang was based in the Fraser Valley and unique for its multi-ethnic membership.
Members smuggled marijuana into the U.S. using helicopters and returned with cocaine from Mexico. Roueche was arrested in 2008 while en route to a wedding in Mexico and sentenced to 30 years in U.S. prison.
Barzan Tilli-Choli took over as operational head in 2008. Born in Iraqi Kurdistan and brought to Canada as a refugee in 1999, Tilli-Choli led plots to kill Red Scorpion members, including a failed hit outside a Lil Wayne concert in 2009.
He pleaded guilty in 2013 to conspiracy to commit murder and was deported to Iraq in 2017.
Other key members included former wrestler Ion “Johnny K-9” Croitoru, who also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder and died in 2017; and Jing Bon Chan, accused of attempted murder in 2003 and believed to be a trusted lieutenant in early cross-border drug operations.
Internationally, Elliot Castañeda and Ahmed “Lou” Kaawach managed relationships with Mexican suppliers. Both were killed in Guadalajara in 2008, a suspected cartel hit.
Their successor, Salih Sahbaz, a Canadian of Iraqi origin, was murdered in Sinaloa in 2012 while trying to rebuild the gang’s Mexican network.
Conor D’Monte, another top UN member, was charged in 2011 with the murder of Red Scorpion Kevin LeClair and disappeared soon after. He was arrested in Puerto Rico in 2022, extradited in 2024, and remains in custody.
In 2009, Doug Vanalstine and Daryl Johnson were arrested during a 100-kg cocaine sting and later sentenced to multi-year prison terms. Vanalstine had also been linked to a 2005 shooting in Osoyoos that ended in a civil court judgment against him.
The gang war between the UN and Red Scorpions peaked in 2008–2009, with a spike in daylight shootings, including LeClair’s murder. In response, police launched Project Rebellion, a multi-agency crackdown that led to dozens of arrests.
BC Gangsters List:
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