Burnaby Gang Activity & Enforcement: What 2025 Seizures Tell Residents About Community Safety

Burnaby RCMP's Gang Enforcement Team seized nearly $4 million in drugs in December 2025, part of ongoing efforts to disrupt organized crime. Here's what residents need to know about gang activity, enforcement, and $2.96 million in federal prevention funding.

By Cindy PetersonPublished: January 24, 2026

Burnaby RCMP's Gang Enforcement Team ended 2025 with its largest single drug seizure of the year: 97 kilograms of illicit drugs worth nearly $4 million and more than $70,000 in cash recovered from a New Westminster residence following a six-month investigation.

The December 17 bust represents just one of dozens of enforcement actions Burnaby RCMP conducted throughout 2025 as part of a sustained effort to disrupt organized crime and drug trafficking in Metro Vancouver's third-largest city.

For Burnaby residents, these seizures raise important questions about gang activity in their community, what police are doing about it, and whether federal prevention programs are making a difference.

The December Drug Bust

Burnaby RCMP's Gang Enforcement Team (BGET) executed a search warrant at a residence in New Westminster on December 17, 2025, concluding a six-month investigation into drug trafficking operations. Officers arrested a 29-year-old man at the scene.

The seizure included approximately 15 kilograms of cocaine, 41 kilograms of methamphetamine, 30 grams of fentanyl, and 41 kilograms of cannabis concentrate commonly known as shatter. Police also recovered drug production materials, money counting devices, and more than $70,000 in Canadian currency.

Investigators estimate the street value of the seized drugs at close to $4 million. The suspect remains under investigation for multiple potential drug-related charges.

Inspector Matt Toews, Burnaby RCMP's Investigative Services Officer, stated that the scale of the seizure highlights the impact of organized drug trafficking on local communities across the Lower Mainland. He added that removing such a large quantity of drugs from circulation could prevent significant harm and reflects the ongoing efforts of specialized enforcement teams.

2025 Enforcement Activity

The December seizure was Burnaby RCMP's largest of 2025, but far from the only one. Throughout the year, the Gang Enforcement Team conducted dozens of traffic stops, premise checks, and investigations targeting organized crime.

Major Seizures Throughout 2025

Early 2025 (January-April):By April, BGET officers had seized over 8 kilograms of suspected illicit drugs including cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine, along with more than $375,000 in cash believed to be proceeds of crime.

Officers also recovered four aftermarket hidden compartments installed in vehicles commonly used to conceal contraband, and three firearms including prohibited and modified weapons.

March 2025:Burnaby RCMP's Drugs and Organized Crime Section executed a search warrant on a waterfront residence in West Vancouver following a four-month investigation into a dial-a-dope drug trafficking organization. Officers arrested a man and woman at the residence and discovered two children also living there. Along with suspected fentanyl and cocaine, police seized over $40,000 in cash, two high-end vehicles, two Ducati motorcycles, and two Sea-Doos.

June 2025:During proactive patrols, BGET officers conducted a traffic stop on a distracted driver using a cellular phone while driving. Observations led to the arrest of the 38-year-old male driver. A subsequent vehicle search uncovered more than 7 kilograms of suspected cocaine and over $60,000 in cash cleverly concealed in the vehicle. Officers also seized the vehicle, two knives, and three cellular phones.

July 2025:Three BGET traffic stops in nine days resulted in the seizure of two vehicles, multiple weapons, over a kilogram of miscellaneous illicit drugs, and more than $63,000 in cash. One stop near Metrotown uncovered 55 cartons of illegal cigarettes and nearly $16,000 in cash.

Another stop near Boundary Road and Canada Way found a collapsible baton, miscellaneous illicit drugs, and over $4,000 in cash in a Tesla driven by someone with a criminal drug trafficking history. A third stop on Imperial Street seized over a kilogram of drugs and nearly $44,000 in cash from a driver with histories of drug trafficking and assault with a weapon.

All seizures were made during proactive policing efforts conducted throughout Burnaby, targeting gang-related activity and street-level drug trafficking.

How the Gang Enforcement Team Operates

Burnaby RCMP created the Gang Enforcement Team to specifically target organized crime and the drug trade in the city. The unit focuses on individuals known to law enforcement who are involved in gang activity, drug trafficking, and related violent crime.

Proactive Enforcement Strategies

BGET officers conduct proactive patrols throughout Burnaby, looking for indicators of criminal activity including vehicles driven by individuals with criminal histories, suspicious behaviour near known gang hangouts, and traffic violations that provide lawful grounds for stops. Many significant seizures begin with routine traffic stops for violations like distracted driving or speeding.

Once officers have lawful grounds to stop a vehicle, observations of suspicious behaviour, visible contraband, or other factors can lead to vehicle searches. Hidden compartments, large amounts of cash, multiple cellular phones, and concealment of identity are all indicators officers watch for.

BGET also conducts premise checks at known gang hangouts and curfew checks for offenders involved in organized crime who are on court-ordered conditions.

What Officers Look For

Drug traffickers operating in Burnaby often rely on vehicles, cellular phones, and pre-packaged drugs for dial-a-dope operations where dealers carry inventory and use phones to coordinate deliveries.

Officers watch for vehicles registered to individuals with criminal histories, cars with aftermarket hidden compartments, drivers exhibiting nervous behaviour during traffic stops, and large amounts of cash without legitimate explanation.

Sergeant Sharon Matharu, commenting on BGET operations in 2024, noted that criminal organizations have repeatedly changed their tactics and behaviour to try and evade detection by BGET officers, but that officers are alive to these changes and strategies are always evolving.

Federal Funding for Gang Prevention

In January 2023, the federal government announced that Burnaby would receive up to $2.96 million from the Building Safer Communities

Fund (BSCF) to prevent gun crime and gang violence in the city.

The funding supports innovative, grassroots programs aimed at stopping violence before it starts by addressing the social conditions that lead youth and young adults to get involved in crime.

How Burnaby Is Using the Funding

The City of Burnaby submitted a comprehensive plan utilizing the federal funding to launch programs and research initiatives to enhance community safety. The approved funding supports three categories of initiatives.

City-Led Programs:The City developed an update to Burnaby's Community Safety Plan, a youth-driven public art program, and public education videos focused on preventing and deterring participation in gang and gun violence.

Community Partner Agency Programs:Six community organizations received funding to deliver programs that prevent young people from becoming involved in gang activities.

Since 2023, these programs have directly supported 139 youth identified at high risk of gang involvement through critical intervention services, provided access to educational resources and counselling for over 180 parents and caregivers, engaged 186 youth in skill-building and mentorship programs to foster resilience and well-being, and involved nearly 2,300 community members in youth-led projects to strengthen connections and empower leadership.

Research Projects:Simon Fraser University's School of Criminology is conducting four research initiatives to better understand factors influencing gang and gun violence in Burnaby. Three projects examine activities and outcomes relating to Burnaby RCMP's Gang Enforcement

Team and Youth Section, as well as School District 41 gang prevention and intervention activities. One large-scale, multi-year three-part research and public symposium project seeks to significantly increase understanding of risk factors for youth who engage with dangerous criminal behaviours associated with local gang and gun lifestyles

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Results So Far

The Changing Colours Youth Mural Program has produced three murals created by youth aged 14 to 18, promoting creativity and positive community engagement. Gang and gun violence prevention videos have received over 38,000 views, with promotional clips reaching more than 130,000 views between May 2024 and June 2025. These videos educate caregivers on recognizing risks and preventing youth gang involvement.

Burnaby also used BSCF funding to develop a new five-year Community Safety and Well-Being Plan outlining 60 initiatives to enhance community safety.

The federal funding demonstrates a dual approach to gang activity: aggressive enforcement targeting active criminals combined with prevention programs aimed at stopping youth from entering gang life in the first place.

What Gang Activity Looks Like in Burnaby

Burnaby experiences gang activity similar to other Metro Vancouver municipalities, primarily related to drug trafficking and the Lower Mainland gang conflict that has affected the region for years.

Drug Trafficking Operations

Most gang-related activity in Burnaby involves drug trafficking, particularly dial-a-dope operations where dealers use vehicles and cellular phones to deliver drugs on demand. The large quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl seized throughout 2025 indicate significant drug distribution networks operating in and through Burnaby.

The presence of aftermarket hidden compartments in vehicles, multiple cellular phones, and large amounts of cash without legitimate explanation all point to sophisticated trafficking operations rather than street-level dealing.

Areas of Concern

BGET conducts targeted operations in areas like Metrotown, aimed at disrupting retail crime and organized criminal activity. The fact that multiple significant seizures occurred during traffic stops near major corridors like Canada Way, Boundary Road, and Loughdon Highway suggests drug traffickers use Burnaby's road network to move product throughout Metro Vancouver.

The December 2025 seizure location in New Westminster demonstrates that trafficking operations don't necessarily operate within Burnaby's municipal boundaries but affect the broader region.

Violence and Public Safety

While drug seizures make headlines, gang activity also involves violence. The targeted shooting on Canada Way in Burnaby on January 22, 2026, that killed 28-year-old Dilraj Singh Gill of Vancouver demonstrates that gang conflict can result in public violence even in busy commercial areas.

Most gang violence is targeted rather than random, meaning specific individuals are selected based on gang rivalries, drug debts, or territorial disputes. However, public shootings create risk for bystanders and affect community sense of safety.

What This Means for Burnaby Residents

The high volume of enforcement activity throughout 2025 raises an important question: does this level of gang activity make Burnaby unsafe?

Understanding the Risk

Most Burnaby residents are not at risk from gang activity. The individuals targeted by BGET are typically already known to police, involved in drug trafficking or organized crime, and operating within criminal networks. The average person going about their daily life in Burnaby has minimal risk of being targeted by gang violence.

The primary risk to the general public comes from being in the wrong place at the wrong time during targeted violence, such as the January 22 shooting on Canada Way. While police describe such incidents as "targeted" with no ongoing public risk, any shooting in a public area creates danger for bystanders.

What the Seizures Indicate

The large quantities of drugs and cash seized throughout 2025 indicate substantial trafficking operations in Metro Vancouver. Each seizure disrupts these operations temporarily, but the ongoing nature of enforcement suggests new operations quickly fill the void left by arrests and seizures.

The fact that BGET can conduct dozens of successful traffic stops and premise checks throughout the year demonstrates that gang members and drug traffickers are actively operating in Burnaby. However, it also shows that police are actively targeting these individuals and disrupting their activities.

Areas of Higher Activity

While gang activity occurs throughout Burnaby, certain areas see more enforcement action. Metrotown and major traffic corridors like Canada Way appear more frequently in BGET seizure reports, suggesting these areas have higher gang-related activity or are monitored more closely by police.

Residents living near these areas should maintain situational awareness, report suspicious activity, and avoid confronting individuals they believe may be involved in criminal behaviour.

How Residents Can Help

Law enforcement effectiveness depends partly on community cooperation. Residents play an important role in gang prevention and disruption.

Reporting Suspicious Activity

Anyone with information related to gang or drug activity in Burnaby should contact Burnaby RCMP at 604-646-9999. Anonymous tips can be submitted through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Suspicious activity might include vehicles coming and going at odd hours with quick stops, individuals conducting brief exchanges that look like drug transactions, groups gathering regularly at locations without obvious legitimate purpose, or abandoned vehicles that suddenly appear in neighbourhoods.

Don't confront individuals or attempt to investigate suspicious activity yourself. Report observations to police and let trained officers handle investigations.

Supporting Youth Programs

The federal funding for gang prevention focuses heavily on youth programming because preventing young people from entering gang life is more effective than enforcement alone. Burnaby residents can support these efforts by participating in community programs, volunteering with youth organizations that provide alternatives to gang involvement, spreading awareness about gang prevention resources, and supporting funding for programs that address social conditions leading to gang recruitment.

Staying Informed

Follow Burnaby RCMP social media and official communications for updates about gang activity and enforcement. Verified information from police sources helps residents understand what's actually happening rather than relying on rumours or speculation that can create unnecessary fear.

Mayor Mike Hurley has emphasized that community confidence requires both strong policing resources and public cooperation in investigations. Residents who stay informed and engaged contribute to broader community safety.

The Broader Context

Burnaby's gang enforcement efforts fit within Metro Vancouver's ongoing response to organized crime and the gang conflict that has affected the region for years.

Regional Coordination

BGET works closely with several other agencies including the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit (CFSEU) and End Gang Life initiative, as well as Burnaby RCMP's Gang Conflict Coordination Team which meets weekly to coordinate units from across the detachment for complicated investigations.

This regional approach recognizes that gang activity doesn't respect municipal boundaries. Drug trafficking networks, gang rivalries, and criminal organizations operate across Metro Vancouver, requiring coordinated enforcement across jurisdictions.

Long-Term Strategy

The combination of aggressive enforcement through BGET and long-term prevention programming through federal funding represents a comprehensive approach to gang activity. Enforcement disrupts active criminal operations and removes drugs, weapons, and proceeds of crime from circulation. Prevention programs aim to stop the next generation from entering gang life by providing alternatives and addressing underlying social conditions.

Neither approach alone solves gang problems. Enforcement without prevention means new recruits constantly replace arrested gang members. Prevention without enforcement allows active criminals to continue operating and recruiting. Together, they create pressure from both directions.

Looking Forward

Gang enforcement will continue to be a priority for Burnaby RCMP throughout 2026. The creation of specialized units like BGET, ongoing federal funding for prevention programs, and cooperation with regional enforcement agencies all indicate sustained focus on gang activity.

For Burnaby residents, this means continued enforcement activity including traffic stops, premise checks, and investigations that result in drug and weapon seizures. It also means ongoing investment in youth programs and community initiatives aimed at prevention.

The risk to average residents remains low, but awareness and cooperation with police help maintain community safety. Understanding what gang enforcement looks like and why it's necessary helps residents contextualize news about seizures and arrests without creating unnecessary fear.

Burnaby isn't experiencing a gang crisis, but like all Metro Vancouver municipalities, it deals with organized crime and drug trafficking that require sustained enforcement and prevention efforts. The nearly $4 million drug seizure in December demonstrates the scale of trafficking operations police are disrupting, while $2.96 million in federal prevention funding shows commitment to long-term solutions.