Manny Buttar told a restaurant patron that he killed for a living and had gotten “rid” of gangster Bindy Johal

Manny Buttar told a restaurant patron that he killed for a living and had gotten “rid” of gangster Bindy Johal, B.C. Supreme Court heard Tuesday.Pardeep Dhillon recounted the night that he was left bleeding and dazed after Buttar allegedly began pummeling him in a Surrey restaurant.Dhillon said Buttar and two friends offered to buy a round at the India Kitchen Restaurant on Nov. 6, 2006 after learning Dhillon and the restaurant owner had the same last names as Buttar’s two pals.He said he was making small talk with the trio, who were strangers, when he asked Buttar what he did for a living.“He said ‘I kill people for a living,’” Dhillon told Justice Kathleen Ker, saying he began to laugh because he assumed Buttar was joking.He said Buttar repeated that his profession was hit man.“I said I had a cousin and he used to do the same thing, but he is dead now,” Dhillon replied, saying he told Buttar his cousin was Johal.“Mr. Buttar was very upset.”Dhillon said Buttar began punching and slapping him as he urged the man to “remember” his name.“He mentioned that ‘I got rid of him and I can get rid of you,’” Dhillon testified.No one has ever been charged in the December 1998 execution of Johal, an admitted cocaine trafficker gunned down at a Vancouver nightclub.But Buttar’s younger brother Bal confessed to The Vancouver Sun in 2004 that he had arranged the hit on Johal even though he was working under the gangster in the “Indo-Canadian Mafia” at the time.Vancouver police have described Manny Buttar as the leader of a mid-level drug trafficking gang that has been involved in a violent conflict with two rival groups on the city’s south slope in recent years.The undercover probe dubbed Project Rebellion has led to dozens of arrests of members of all three gangs this year alone.Buttar is facing three charges related to the 2006 assault — including assault with a weapon, uttering threats and using an imitation firearm.
His co-accused, Tirathpal Dhillon, pleaded guilty to assault as the trial opened in New Westminster on Monday.Pardeep Dhillon said he saw his namesake pull a gun out while Buttar continued to beat on him. “The magazine fell out and I was able to kick it,” the victim testified. “Mr. Dhillon looked like he was scared … . It was almost like he wanted to scare me and he did.”Under cross-examination, Dhillon admitted he was an alcoholic with convictions for assault, impaired driving and breaches of probation.Buttar’s defence lawyer Karen Bastow suggested that Dhillon’s account “seems incredibly unlikely.She said no one would admit to a stranger that he had committed murder.“So Manny Buttar says ‘I am a killer and I capped Bindy Johal.’ Is that what happened?” she asked“Yes,” replied Dhillon.She also said it was unlikely he had the fortitude to kick a clip away while he was being slapped and punched.“That’s pretty fancy footwork Mr. Dhillon for a guy that is not part of the life,” Bastow said.She suggested someone else punched Dhillon and Buttar was not even near the booth where the attack occurred.But Dhillon strongly disagreed, pointing to Buttar as his attacker several times.
Also Tuesday, a waitress at the restaurant who called 911 claimed she saw Buttar — not his associate — with the gun.Rosie Nand’s emergency call was played in court in which she could be heard saying “there is a big guy beating another guy … he is bleeding but I think he is okay.”

Ternae Ramone "Bud" Hatten a self confessed member of the Gangster Disciples gang.

General Sessions Court Judge Clarence Shattuck bound aggravated robbery and aggravated kidnapping charges to the Grand Jury against Ternae Ramone "Bud" Hatten, 23, of 1724 E. 17th St.Judge Shattuck also doubled Hatten's bond, that he said was set too low by a magistrate. Prosecutor Rex Sparks had asked that the bond be tripled, saying Hatten had repeatedly threatened the alleged victims in the case against testifying against him.Dionee Parker said she and her husband were driving in their Cadillac Escalade around on July 25 when they came to a four-way stop at Bennett Avenue and South Kelly.She said they were approached by several men with guns, who ordered them out of the vehicle and into an apartment at 2200 Bennett Ave.
She said she saw a large amount of marijuana in the residence and said it was "foggy" and had a strong smell. She said Hatten was one of the men who held a gun on her and took $200 from her husband, Joe, as well as $1,300 they had in the vehicle. She said the men also took their house key, two cell phones and her husband's wedding ring. She said they asked that the ring not be taken, saying they had just gotten married.Ms. Parker said Hatten kept asking if they had any items at their house and wanted to be taken there. She said she was taken back out to the vehicle and Hatten tried to get in one side, but the door would not open. She said another man had one leg in one of the doors when he dropped something. She said she took the occasion to speed off.She said she drove nearby and spotted her husband walking down the street.Joe Parker gave a similar account. He said he was made to lie down on the floor in the kitchen.He said after his wife was able to drive off, he was told to "walk out like nothing happened."He said he has not gotten any of the money back.Hatten admitted having marijuana, crack cocaine, digital scales, baggies and other drug items in the residence, that he was renting at the time.But he said he knew Joe Parker and that Parker had come over to get some marijuana. He said it was another man in the residence - A.J. - who had pulled a gun on the couple.
Hatten had a separate drug case bound to the Grand Jury.Prosecutor Sparks said his record includes aggravated robbery, aggravated assault and a first-degree murder charge. Rodriquez McGlocton was also charged in the case.Hatten said he was playing dice at the residence with McGlocton and A.J. at the time of the incident.

Jackson has members of four major gangs that are known worldwide - the Bloods, Crips, Gangster Disciples and Vice Lords

Joe Richard Poston, 24, and Robert Benjamin Seats, 28, died of gunshot wounds after a shoot-out in the parking lot of J-Mumbly's, at 903 Hollywood Drive in the Hollywood Shopping Center. Police believe the men shot each other during an argument that began inside the club.
Police have confirmed that two Jackson men killed in a Sunday morning shooting in a nightclub parking lot were affiliated with rival gangs, the Vice Lords and Gangster Disciples.But police have said they are still investigating whether the shooting was gang-related and whether it was connected to another shooting near another nightclub the same night.
Seven others - three women and four men - were injured in the incident. Another man was wounded earlier Sunday night in the area of the Sesame Street Lounge, at 411 Railroad St.In another possible gang-related incident Wednesday, about 150 students at North Side High School gathered in a hallway.According to a Madison County Sheriff's Office report, students told Principal Jan Watson that a Vice Lords leader and a Gangster Disciples leader were making peace between the rival gangs when a crowd gathered.Willis said police have seen an uptick in the last year in assaults and robberies of individual gang members involved in selling drugs.Many of those crimes are not reported, but police hear about the crimes through intelligence from reliable informants, Willis said. Police also corroborate the information when they interview people who are in custody on other criminal charges.
Jackson has members of four major gangs that are known worldwide - the Bloods, Crips, Gangster Disciples and Vice Lords, Willis said. Police are also aware of some local gangs, which are frequently established by teenagers in middle school and older. Those gangs may eventually die out, and others are started.




During the 1990s, Jackson saw a major spike in gang violence, with 19 homicides in 1993. But in recent years, police have said gangs are keeping a lower profile.



Willis declined to estimate how many people are part of gangs in Jackson, saying he could not give an accurate number.

"We do not come into contact with every gang member," he said. "All gang members do not get arrested. All gang members do not admit their affiliation, nor do they reveal any indication that they are in a gang."

'A lot of work to do'
Mayor Jerry Gist called the recent shootings "distressing" and "disappointing."

"It indicated we still have a lot of work to do," Gist said. "We knew we had a gang presence, but gang activity had been more passive in the last years, so this is very disappointing."

Gist said he still believes the changes suggested by the crime task force in recent years have the city headed in the right direction. He cited new officers added to the police department and progress made by the Gang Unit.

There has been a lot of effort to educate younger people about the dangers of gangs, Gist said.

"The problem is those already in gangs; it is almost impossible to escape once you are in," Gist said. "People also need to understand that gang activity is part of every community in this nation."

When asked about reducing the number of the guns on the street, Gist said he did not think much could be done.

"There are not a lot of ways to crack down; you can always get weapons," he said.

No guns were recovered at the crime scene Sunday morning, and police are still investigating how many guns were fired.

Member of MS-13, a feared criminal gang, was captured in Hitchcock early this afternoon.

Member of MS-13, a feared criminal gang, was captured in Hitchcock early this afternoon. The Police News learned that undercover police who had intelligence the man was heavy armed, possibly with an AK-47, was hiding in Hitchcock. Lawmen from the Gulf Coast Violent Offender's Task Force accompanied by Hitchcock Police made the arrest at an apartment on Jackson Street.The man is said to be wanted on a multitude of criminal warrants from various parts of the country. He was being taken to Galveston to be arraigned by a federal magistrate. He was to then be taken to jail in Houston.Officials did not identify the man for intelligence reasons.
MS-13 is a criminal gang that originated in Los Angeles and has spread to Central America, other parts of the United States, and Canada. The majority of the gang is ethnically composed of Salvadorans, Hondurans, Guatemalans, and Nicaraguans.
Their activities have caught the eye of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), who in September 2005 initiated wide-scale raids against suspected gang members, netting 660 arrests across United States. ICE efforts were at first directed towards MS-13, in its Operation Community Shield. In May 2005, ICE expanded Operation Community Shield to include all transnational organized crime and prison gangs. ICE's Operation Community Shield has since arrested 7,655 street gang members. In the United States, the gang's strongholds have historically been in the American Southwest and West Coast states.
Membership in the U.S was believed to be as many as about 50,000 as of 2005.
MS-13 criminal activities include drug smuggling and sales, arms trafficking, auto theft, carjacking, home invasion, assault, aggravated assault, assault on law enforcement officials, drive-by shootings, contract killing and murder.
The United States Marshals Service (USMS) oversees the nation's regional fugitive task forces, including the Gulf Coast Violent Offender's Task Force. The purpose of regional fugitive task forces is to combine the efforts of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to locate and apprehend the most dangerous fugitives and assist in high profile investigations.Task Force members involved in today MS-13 arrest were from the Galveston County Sheriff's Office, FBI, U.S. Marshal's Service, and Galveston County Precinct 8 Constable's Office.

Monroe Ezell is one of the ranking members of the Hoover Criminals 74

Monroe Ezell is one of the ranking members of the Hoover Criminals 74 a South Seattle gang Ezell is a marked man. At 21, Ezell is one of the ranking members of the Hoover Criminals 74, a South Seattle gang affiliated with the Los Angeles–based Crips. Members of the Valley Hood Piru (a Blood-­affiliated gang), and other Seattle gangs, want him dead.Ezell has a rap sheet with charges for robbery and drug possession, and law-­enforcement sources say he is a suspect in a handful of drive-by shootings around Seattle. According to Seattle Police Department search-warrant records, Ezell was also a suspect in the murder of 15-year-old Quincy Coleman—a known Deuce-8 gang member with apparent ties to the Valley Hood Piru—who was gunned down outside of Garfield High School on Halloween 2008.Last month, Ezell was nearly killed outside of the King County Youth Service Center, presumably by a rival gang member, possibly in retaliation for Coleman’s murder. No arrests have been made

15 taxi firms in Scotland are controlled by organised crime gangs Network Private Hire has been linked to the city's McGovern crime clan.

Mr MacAskill said: "Where organised crime infiltrates legitimate business, like the taxi and private hire trade, we will take action. We won't allow hard-working cabbies to be driven off the road by crooks and gangsters." Legislation was brought in this year to force taxi booking offices to obtain licences. Police checks of premises and records are being introduced. Mr MacAskill's pledge came only days after NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde was warned off giving a £2million taxi contract to Network Private Hire - which has been linked to the city's McGovern crime clan.
The firm was raided in 2004 as part of a money-laundering probe that could see McGovern in-law Russell Stirton lose £5million under proceeds of crime laws.
Last year Glasgow City Council suspended the licence of CS Cars, run by jailed crime boss Jamie "The Iceman" Stevenson's wife Caroline.Legislation introduced earlier this year will see taxi booking offices having to obtain licences for the first time. The police have also been given full powers to carry out checks of company premises and booking records.Although all cab drivers must secure a licence to take to the road, there has never been proper regulation of taxi operators and firms, which have been unveiled as fronts for money-laundering, drug-dealing and prostitution.Taxi industry leaders say the new measures will allow tough action to be taken against rogue private-hire drivers and companies that flout laws banning drivers picking up fares on the street or touting for business at ranks.Mr MacAskill said: "There has traditionally been much less control over private-hire firms than black-cab operators, which have generally served our cities well. Basically, anyone could set up a cab company from their front bedroom or garage and there was little that could be done to monitor them."He added that he wanted to send a "clear message" to organised criminals that there was no room in the industry for those who want to use taxi and private-hire car firms as a "front for illegal activities".
"We won't allow hard-working cabbies, who borrow from the bank to mortgage their home to buy a cab and make a living, to be driven off the road by crooks and gangsters," he said.It emerged earlier this year that police believe at least 15 taxi firms in Scotland are controlled by organised crime gangs.Private-hire businesses in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and beyond are said to have been infiltrated by underworld figures using cars to ferry drugs, prostitutes and enforcers. Frank Smith, Edinburgh's new taxi licensing inspector, said: "It is up to the police to work with the council to ensure the new regulations are enforced. I aim to ensure the existing high standards in the industry are maintained and, where opportunities arise, are improved upon."

Raul Madrigal stares and extends a defiant middle finger, apparently at feds hunting him.

Raul Madrigal stares and extends a defiant middle finger, apparently at feds hunting him.“He is kind of taunting us,” said Brian Ritchie, who leads the violent crimes and gangs task force for the FBI's Houston division, which has been trying to capture him for months. Authorities contend Madrigal, 29, is a key member of the fast-growing Tango Blast — the largest gang in the city — and that from 2007 to 2009, he helped the Gulf Cartel pump millions of dollars worth of marijuana and cocaine into Houston and the surrounding area.Fleeing to Mexico follows a Texas border crime tradition, but also speaks to what Washington sees as a growing threat posed by partnerships between Mexican drug cartels and U.S. gangs.Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer testified before Congress last week that the Department of Justice plans to step up investigations of the ties as part of a strategy similar to what was previously used to take on the mafia and other international syndicates.
Madrigal apparently made so much money that authorities intend to seize $18 million in assets in the case against him and 13 other defendants charged with trafficking under Operation Broken Star.They've already seized nine of Madrigal's bling cars, including a Bentley sedan, two BMWs and two Maseratis. All look showroom clean and remain parked in a heavily secured storage facility until they are sold at auction.
A 6.5 carat diamond ring also was taken as drug proceeds, as was a customized three-wheel T-Rex motorcycle, complete with ostrich-skin seats and an LCD monitor.
Authorities won't say whether they expect to see Madrigal in handcuffs anytime soon but note he's likely in a dangerous country where he can't stand alone. “He has probably aligned himself with some people who offer the protection he deserves and has earned,” Ritchie said.In Houston, the conspiracy is alleged to have started months after U.S.-born Madrigal was released from his second stint in a Texas prison, where agents speculate he reinforced dubious connections. Authorities said Tango Blast is an appealing partner for traffickers because it has many members and is spread out across the state. Other more traditional Latino gangs, such as the Mexican Mafia and the Texas Syndicate, also work with the cartels, according to a recent law enforcement report. “People are so worried the cartels are going to come over here, but they have these people at their beck and call,” said Pat Villafranca, an FBI spokeswoman in Houston.The cartel has the drug supply while the U.S. gangs know the streets, have the contacts and can blend in.“They get these guys to do their dirty work,” said Rick Moreno, a Houston police homicide investigator who has mapped out local gang connections to cartel murders, kidnappings and other crimes.
Among others charged in the conspiracy is Saul Salinas, the brother of a trafficker gunned down here in 2006. The case was recently solved and the suspects await trial.
“Madrigal hooked up with all these people he met in prison and out of prison,” the FBI's Ritchie said. His biggest connection was Mario Gonzalez, an accused cartel member and fugitive. Madrigal is charged in a conspiracy to move at least a ton of weed, but he is believed to have used a network of stash houses to sell about 5,000 pounds a month, enough to roll more than 3 million joints every 30 days.Even if Madrigal, who has a list of prior criminal offenses, again sees a courtroom, there is no guarantee of conviction. Four times he's had charges against him dismissed, and he wasn't charged in the death of a rival killed in a shootout. He was convicted twice and went to prison, once for theft and again for drug dealing.In the meantime, Madrigal's taunts give authorities motivation, said a veteran state law enforcement officer. “Old-school gangsters ... would never draw attention like that,” he said.

Independent Soldiers street gang second-in-command is scheduled to be sentenced after pleading guilty in April to charges stemming from his dealings

Thomas Crawford is scheduled to be sentenced after pleading guilty in April to charges stemming from his dealings with a pair of undercover cops in January 2007.
At that time, the now-27-year-old was believed to be second-in-command in the local chapter of the Independent Soldiers street gang.He has since claimed to have left the gang, but Mounties say he sold four ounces of cocaine, a .357-calibre handgun and a box of bullets to a pair of undercover cops posing as mid-level drug dealers.
Alleged Independent Soldiers boss Jayme Russell was also charged following the investigation, but pleaded not guilty to a lone drug-trafficking charge.
Earlier this year, a judge found Russell guilty following a trial in B.C. Supreme Court and he was handed a two-year sentence in a federal penitentiary.It's not yet known which charges Crawford pleaded guilty to, but the firearms charge carries with it a mandatory one-year jail sentence.Crawford was released on bail shortly after the January 2007 transaction, but has been picked up by police a number of times for allegedly breaching his conditions.Last summer, he was arrested and later pleaded guilty to threats charges after leaving a number of intimidating messages on the cellphone of an acquaintance.Earlier this year, he pleaded guilty to breach charges after he was caught out past his curfew with a pair of men — one of whom is alleged to have gang ties — who were allegedly brandishing handguns in a pair of local restaurants.During a bail hearing last year, Crawford claimed to have left the Independent Soldiers and said he is in the process of having his gang tattoos covered up.

Wanted Guadalupe Ceja on a warrant charging him with Murder.

Wanted Guadalupe Ceja on a warrant charging him with Murder. Detective Mark Pollio reports that on February 11th 1996 in the late evening a gang related murder occurred in the 600 block of Stambaugh Street. Numerous members of a criminal street gang chased down and caught a rival gang member. Those persons beat the victim until Lupe Ceja then allegedly approached and shot the victim numerous times while he lay on the ground. The persons who had beaten the victim were subsequently identified, arrested and convicted for their part in the murder. The shooter, Ceja, was identified but never arrested.

Ascot Vale slaying:Geoffrey Leslie Armour, 43, pointed to his injuries as he entered court but then crouched behind a wall

Geoffrey Leslie Armour, 43, pointed to his injuries as he entered court but then crouched behind a wall, apparently trying to protect his identity.As sketch artists worked furiously to catch an image of Armour, his defence counsel objected to any publication of sketches or photographs of him, arguing identity could be a key issue in the case.Police, who will set up an information caravan near the site of the slaying to canvass for additional witnesses, supported the objection. It was felt that if images of Armour were made public they could influence witness decisions.
Police are still searching for another alleged hitman and the getaway driver from the Ascot Vale slaying.Magistrate Dan Muling agreed to a suppression order on Armour's image, ruling that the publication of his image would risk contaminating witnesses' evidence.Mr Muling set Armour's next court date for September 9, the day co-defendants Judy Moran and Suzanne Kane are also due back in court. There was no application for bail.Judy Moran, 64, and Suzanne Kane, 45, who is Armour's defacto wife, appeared in court on Wednesday on charges of being accessories after the fact of the murder. Both women were also refused bail.

Remand prisoners at the Sunyani Central Prison in the Brong Ahafo Region have allegedly resorted to acts of vandalism

Remand prisoners at the Sunyani Central Prison in the Brong Ahafo Region have allegedly resorted to acts of vandalism because of frustration resulting from long delays in the adjudication of their cases in the law courts.A convict at the prison, Eric Quaye, who painted a sordid picture of the frustrations of the prisoners and conditions of the remand prison to the Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, last Thursday, said some of the cases had been pending before the courts for between seven and 12 years.Quaye told the minister, who was visiting the prison, that without any provocation, some remand prisoners who had been there for those periods allegedly fought other inmates to relieve themselves of their frustration.He a11eged that some dockets on the cases which were in the custody of the police were missing, while some of the police investigators had refused to escort those on remand to the courts.Currently, there are 839 inmates at the Remand prisoners at the Sunyani Central Prison in the Brong Ahafo Region have allegedly resorted to acts of vandalism, out of which 635 are convicts, 176 on remand and 28 facing trial. The number of prisoners in the region, including those at the Duayaw Nkwanta, Kenyasi and Yeji camps, stands at 1,293.Quaye, who acted as the spokesperson for the inmates, further alleged that even when the police came for prisoners on remand for court, the police returned with the excuse that they did not meet any judges to hear the cases.He intimated that some of the police investigators were in league with the complainants in some of the cases and alleged that some of those complainants had paid money to the policemen handling the cases for them to delay their early adjudication or discontinue with the investigations.In one instance, the spokesperson, who was once working with a mining company in the Brong Ahafo Region but has been incarcerated because of financial malfeasance, said a man who had committed a crime with another per-son had long completed his prison term of 10 years while his accomplice, who is currently suffering from stroke, was on remand.
According to him, remand prisoners were a source of worry to the other inmates, pointing out that “they are difficult to control by the selected leaders of the inmates”.On other problems in the prison, Quaye indicated that some of the convicts were grappling with communicable diseases such as tuberculosis (TB) but the only available drug administered to them was paracetamol, adding that “para is used to serve all sick prisoners”.He emphasised that characteristic of all TB patients, those suffering from the disease coughed and spat anywhere but there were no detergents and soap to clean the cells and other areas.“We use raw water to bath, wash and clean the place,” he said.Quaye said because there were limited toilet facilities for the inmates, some of them soiled themselves while they were in the queue waiting for their turn, while others fought to secure their positions in the queue.One startling revelation he made was that there were minors staying and mingling with the hardened criminals, pointing out that human rights activists did not visit the prison to know the plight of the minors and fight for them.The Brong Ahafo Regional Commander of the Ghana Prison Service, Mr Jacob Agambire, who conducted the regional minister round the premises, corroborated the story told by the spokesperson and said his outfit was using the available resources to manage the prison.

Des "Tuppence" Moran Gangster has been shot dead in a busy Melbourne street

Police said a man in his 60s was shot and killed in a suburb of Australia's second city shortly after noon, but refused to confirm media reports the victim was Des "Tuppence" Moran, the member of an infamous Melbourne crime family.
Gangster has been shot dead in a busy Melbourne street, sparking fears of a resurgence in an underworld war that has so far claimed around 30 lives, reports have said.Australian 'gangster' shot dead in Melbourne notorious gangster has been shot dead in a busy Melbourne street, sparking fears of a resurgence in an underworld war that has so far claimed around 30 lives, reports have said.
Police said a man in his 60s was shot and killed in a suburb of Australia's second city shortly after noon, but refused to confirm media reports the victim was Des "Tuppence" Moran, the member of an infamous Melbourne crime family.
Moran's brother Lewis and his nephews Jason and Mark were all killed in Melbourne's drug gangs war that raged from 1995 to 2004 and was dramatised in Australia's hit "Underbelly" TV series.The Age newspaper reported that Moran was killed in an execution-style hit, quoting ambulance officers saying he had suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the head and witnesses saying three men had fired at him.
A witness named Joan said the shooting occurred on a busy street with children nearby."I was across the road from where it happened, at the post office and I just heard all these gunshots," she told commercial radio."I'm really angry because there were lots of kids and what-not, going about their business. It's a really busy shopping strip... there were people everywhere."Another witness, Han Tarkeek, told national news agency AAP that Lewis Moran's wife, Judy, arrived at the scene within 15 minutes of the shooting screaming "Dessy, Dessy."Moran survived an attempted assassination in March, when a balaclava-clad gunman fired at him while he was sitting in a car. The bullet lodged in the steering wheel.The incident follows this month's shooting of a Sydney businessman with close links to the city's notorious Kings Cross area. Fadi Ibrahim was shot five times and remains in hospital fighting for his life.

Parinder Singh Adiwal was sprayed with gunfire in the underground parking lot of his Burnaby high-rise

Parinder Singh Adiwal was sprayed with gunfire in the underground parking lot of his Burnaby high-rise about 10 p.m. Tuesday.RCMP Cpl. Alexandra Mulvihill said the shooting “appears to be a targeted hit and has all the earmarks of being gang-related.”“Investigators will spend today continuing to speak with witnesses and to start to piece together the information they have,” she said. “It is the Burnaby RCMP's intention to be as factual and accurate as possible with the information we release. For this reason, aside from what has already been released, there will no further updates on this file until late this afternoon.”Several Vancouver police and Burnaby RCMP cars were outside the hospital throughout Wednesday morning. Officers could be seen coming and going to the hospital, as well as friends and relatives of Adiwal.Adiwal and his twin brother Mike have held leadership roles in the Independent Soldiers gang. And they have also been associated over the last year to Barzan Tilli-Choli, the de facto leader of the United Nations gang now in jail charged with conspiracy to kill Abbotsford’s Bacon brothers.Another close associate of the Adiwal twins has been Sandip Singh Duhre, who was identified last Friday as the target of a foiled murder-for-hire plot.Just in March Peter Adiwal told a Port Coquitlam judge that he was forced to hold drugs while inside the Fraser Regional Correctional Centre while serving a kidnapping sentence.He pleaded guilty to a single count of cocaine trafficking and got a nine-month conditional sentence.
Correctional officers found seven grams of heroin, 0.5 grams of cocaine, 129 grams of marijuana, two tablets of ecstacy and various steroids hidden throughout Parminder Adiwal's cell, including in Kraft Dinner boxes and other food packages, on July 11, 2006.Adiwal told the guards he was only holding the drugs for another inmate and wasn't selling them himself.Adiwal's lawyer Peter Wilson told the court that his client had no choice because “it's a different world in jail. I was asked in circumstances where I couldn't really say no and he just happened to be kind of holding the ball at the time when the items were discovered,” Wilson said. "He just happened to have it in his possession at the time when it was discovered by authorities."Both Adiwal twins pleaded guilty in October 2005 to a brutal drug-related kidnapping in which the victim was rescued by police who had been clandestinely following the twins in another multiple-murder investigation.

Peter Adiwal told the kidnapping victim that he would kill him and dump his body in Richmond near the spot where two of the man's friends had been found bound and shot in 2001

Sukhjit Singh Basi, who was grabbed late on the evening of Feb. 12, 2003, begged his captors for a glass of water after he had already been bound and beaten over several hours.The twins were among the subjects of a multi-million dollar investigation by the former Indo-Canadian Gang Task Force that involved months of wiretap and surveillance designed to collect evidence in a series of unsolved slayings.But the investigation ended prematurely and dramatically when police overheard Basi's moans and cries and broke down the Burnaby apartment door to rescue him.
Court was told that Peter Adiwal was particularly brutal with Basi, hitting him several times, binding his arms and repeatedly threatening to kill him.
In a Feb. 11, 2003 conversation captured on a listening device police had planted in the apartment, Peter Adiwal blamed Basi for stealing 68 kilograms of marijuana from a friend and then pointing the finger at Adiwal.Adiwal is heard on the wiretap saying 'kick him in the throat' and when Basi starts weeping, Adiwal said 'he's breaking. I told you guys. I told you he'd start crying, didn't I?"

Chief suspect for Ireland's biggest ever tiger raid has left the country

Chief suspect for Ireland's biggest ever tiger raid has left the country but his €5.8m haul remains untouched.Gardai now believe that the man, in his late 30s and from Dublin's north inner city, is hiding out in Britain, and have liaised with UK police in efforts to trace his whereabouts.He emerged at the chief suspect for the College Green robbery in the 48 hours after the crime, when suspects for the raid were observed entering the home of the man's sister on Dublin's northside.Detectives believe that the man planned the robbery with the assistance of a family-based north inner city crime gang, who are themselves related to a well-known armed robber.
The mastermind has been involved in armed robbery for the past 20 years, and first came to garda attention following a number of raids in Munster in the 1990s. He is regarded by officers as volatile when confronted but otherwise calm in the planning of his crimes.He has a number of previous convictions and his immediate family have also been involved in crime in the past. A close relative shot and injured a man during a raid.According to garda intelligence sources, neither the man, nor the other members of the College Green gang, have attempted to move the haul of cash which they are suspected of stashing in the hours after the raid on February 27 last. The robbery, which was Ireland's biggest ever haul from a tiger raid, was pulled off when bank worker Shane Travers was forced to take cash from a vault at the Bank of Ireland, College Green, hours after his girlfriend and two members of her family were held up at their Co Kildare home.No one was injured in the raid, which ended when Mr Travers dropped off the cash at a designated point in Clontarf. The raiders are believed to have moved the cash to an as-yet-unknown location on the city's northside immediately afterwards.Some of the money was then moved, and €1.8m of the cash was later recovered.Gardai suspect that the money was taken to a location in north Dublin, and is likely to have remained there ever since. A number of individuals suspected of involvement in the robbery have been placed under heavy surveillance since the incident and have "laid low" as a result, sources say.

67-year-old Rosario Gambino arrived at Rome's Leonardo da Vinci airport on a flight from Miami.

67-year-old Rosario Gambino arrived at Rome's Leonardo da Vinci airport on a flight from Miami. Wearing a gray jumpsuit and looking frail he sat in a wheelchair as he was escorted out by police officers.Gambino, an Italian-born New Jersey resident, was considered a top mobster in the New York-based crime family led by his late cousin Carlo Gambino.In 1984 he was convicted in a multi-million-dollar conspiracy to sell heroin in southern New Jersey and sentenced to 45 years in jail.Gambino was linked to the "Pizza Connection" probe, which broke a $1.6 billion heroin and cocaine smuggling operation that used pizzerias as fronts from 1975 to 1984.He was released in 2007 and transferred to an immigrant detention center in California to await expulsion, Italian police said in a statement. It was not immediately clear why the sentence had been reduced.Gambino has been wanted in Italy since 1980 on separate drug and Mafia-connected charges, and he is expected to face trial. Calls to a lawyer representing him in Italy were not answered Saturday afternoon.
Before being transferred to a Rome jail, Gambino was served the original 1980 arrest warrant signed by Giovanni Falcone, one of Italy's top anti-Mafia prosecutors.
Falcone was killed by the Sicilian mob in a 1992 bomb attack, and Gambino's return coincided with the anniversary of the murder, which was being commemorated across Italy. Salvatore "Toto" Riina, then the Mafia's boss of bosses, was arrested in 1993 and later convicted with others of plotting the hit.

Andre D. Trott a high-ranking member of the Bloods street gang, but have declined to say whether the killing was gang-related

Cadre Williams, 31, of Georgia, hung himself with a sheet in a high-security cell in the jail.Cicchi said Williams was found by jail staff in his one-man, locked cell, but declined to release further details, saying the investigation is continuing.Earlier authorities called his death an apparent suicide and gave no details.Cicchi said Williams showed no signs of being troubled when a psychologist did a face-to-face interview with him a day earlier."He presented no suicidal ideations during the interview," Cicchi said.Cicchi said the investigation has shown there were no violations of the jail's procedures when Williams was dealt with.
Security in William's unit, known as C-Pod, is the highest at the jail.Williams, who had an extensive criminal record in Georgia, was charged May 8 with killing Shakir McCray, 31, of Roselle. McCray was shot several times the morning before outside the Hearthwood development on Boice Drive in North Brunswick.Authorities said Williams confessed to the murder after being captured in Edison not long after the slaying occurred. He faced life behind bars without the possibility of parole if convicted.
Another man charged in the murder, Andre D. Trott, 29, of Bermuda, remains in the correction center in lieu of $1.5 million bail.Prosecutors called Trott a high-ranking member of the Bloods street gang, but have declined to say whether the killing was gang-related. They have not released a motive.

Kenneth Lavon Jones, 34, is charged with possession of a firearm

Kenneth Lavon Jones, 34, is charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and a parole violation.
A gang intelligence unit with the Barrow County Sheriff's Office received a tip about Jones' alleged affiliation with the gangster disciples. Deputies set up surveillance and interview witnesses before a SWAT team moved in early Monday morning. Police found Jones in possession of a loaded .40 caliber pistol and marijuana, Sheriff's Office spokesman Investigator Matt Guthas said.
"Given the threat that criminal street gangs pose to the community, (the Sheriff's Office) has committed to rigorously pursuing gang members and gang-related activity," he said.Gwinnett police assisted by providing a narcotics-sniffing K-9 unit, Guthas said.

Bobby Speirs sentenced at Manchester Crown Court .

Mr Justice Griffith Williams sentenced Bobby Speirs, 41,to serve a minimum term of 23 years in jail at Manchester Crown Court today.Bobby Speirs, 41, showed no reaction as he was convicted of his part in organising the bloody Brass Handles pub shootout in Salford three years ago. Speirs believed he had the 'perfect alibi' when he went to the game between Manchester United and Newcastle United at the time of the horrific shooting. He was watching the game from an executive box as he organised the 'hit' during half-time.He was using mobile phones to oversee a plot to send two gunmen to the pub and carry out a 'planned execution', according to the prosecution. The gunmen went into the pub and opened fire, wounding two victims in a volley of shots one Sunday afternoon in March 2006. But the 'hit' backfired as the would-be assassins were overpowered by other people in the pub. It is thought they were disarmed and shot dead with their own guns.
Speirs was instrumental in planning the operation and kept in touch with two others involved by mobile phone leading up to the shootings. Within days, Speirs fled to Spain but he was extradited several months later. Speirs, who at the time lived in Butterstile Avenue, Prestwich, pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to murder but was unanimously found guilty after four hours of deliberations by the jury.
Two others, Ian McLeod, an infamous Manchester gang leader, and Constance Howarth, had already been convicted at an earlier hearing of roles in the murder plot.
The two would-be assassins, Richard Austin, 19, and Carlton Alveranga, 20, died after being shot in the chest. They had gone to the pub on the Langworthy Estate to kill but ended up losing their own lives. Among the customers in the Brass Handles at the time were David Totton and Aaron Travers, who were said to be the 'possible' targets. The gunmen went to the pub with McLeod while Howarth was inside acting as a 'spotter' to point out the victim or victims. Mr Totton and Mr Travers were seriously injured as shots were fired but survived. Some customers fought back and Austin and Alveranga were disarmed and shot during the botched assassination.
No-one has ever been brought to justice for the murders of Austin and Alveranga. Speirs was trapped by police thanks to so-called 'cell site analysis' which plotted the movements of mobile phones associated with the defendant and others involved in the plot. He was tracked down in Benidorm. Speirs will be sentenced at Manchester Crown Court on Thursday.

Dilun Heng, 26, wanted on a Canada-wide warrant

Dilun Heng, 26, wanted on a Canada-wide warrant since being charged last Friday with plotting to kill the Bacon brothers of Abbotsford.Seven others also charged in the massive conspiracy case have already made their first court appearances and will be returning to Vancouver Provincial Court on June 9.On Tuesday, four other accused -- Ion (Johnny K-9) Kroitoru, Daniel Ronald Russell, Soroush Ansari and Yong Sung (John) Lee -- squished into the prisoners' box at Vancouver Provincial Court for their first appearance after the charge against them was laid Friday.Last month, two other UN members and one associate - Barzan Tilli-Choli, Karwan Ahmet Saed and Aram Ali - were also charged with plotting to kill Jonathan, Jarrod and Jamie Bacon and their Red Scorpion associates.Prosecutor Ralph Keefer said he intended to proceed by direct indictment, meaning the case will move straight to B.C. Supreme Court, bypassing the preliminary inquiry process.Several plainclothes police officers sat in courtroom 101 Tuesday for the brief appearance. Four sheriffs crowded into the small prisoners’ box along with the four accused.Outside court, Ansari’s mother turned her back without saying a word when a Vancouver Sun reporter asked about the charges against her son.Another son, Sasan Ansari, was convicted of manslaughter last fall for stabbing his friend to death in the parking lot of a West Vancouver country club.Kroitoru’s spouse also refused to comment.“I’m not married,” she said in response to a Sun reporter’s question about her husband, a former professional wrestler and biker boss well-known to police in Ontario.But on a twitter page registered to a Tracy Kroitoru, a woman has posted several comments about being almost due with a baby daughter and references to her husband “ex-wrestler Johnny K-9.”“Pregnant, but wishing I could ride on the back on my man’s pro-one chopper,” Tracy Kroitoru wrote April 28.The murder conspiracy case is believed to be one of the largest in B.C. history with eight defendants charged on a single indictment.And the arrests of senior members of the notorious UN gang have been hailed by police as a major victory in their fight against gang violence.
And UN founder Clay Roueche may still be charged, both police and the Crown have said. He is so far listed in the case as an unindicted co-conspirator along with someone identified only as “Frankie.”The conspiracy is alleged to have unfolded between Jan. 1, 2008 and Feb. 17, 2009 in Vancouver, Surrey, Burnaby, as well as in Montreal.

Dave Courtney Gangster, actor and author has been made bankrupt owing the HM Revenue & Customs, an estimated £250,000.

Dave Courtney Gangster, actor and author has been made bankrupt owing the HM Revenue & Customs, an estimated £250,000.The published author, whose books include Dodgy Dave’s Little Black Book and The Ride’s Back On is understood to owe an estimated £400,000 to creditors.It is believed the taxman called time on Courtney’s debts and applied for the insolvency order against him. It is believed the case could focus on the book rights that Courtney retains his main asset as a way of settling creditor’s debts.Courtney had a small part in the 1990 film The Krays, and supplied the security at Ronnie Kray’s funeral. He is also reported as being the inspiration behind the character played by Vinnie Jones in the Guy Richie movie Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.Papers lodged on the Individual Insolvency Register show that Louise Brittain, head of personal insolvency at Baker Tilley, has been appointed the bankruptcy trustee in Courtney’s case. The papers reveal he will not be discharged from bankruptcy automatically until 18 February 2010.Courtney’s registered address is a house in south east London, known as Camelot, decked out with union jacks and a large knuckle duster on the gate.

Sivajodi Anantharaja, 41, organised the brutal retaliation after his cousin was injured by the 'East Side Boys' based in East Ham.

Sri Lankan gang master in Britain who led revenge attacks against two rivals that left one man dead and another disabled has been jailed for at least 24 years.
Sivajodi Anantharaja, 41, organised the brutal retaliation after his cousin was injured by the 'East Side Boys' based in East Ham.The first victim Mathiraj Mathiyaparanam, 24, was repeatedly slashed on the head and arm with a samurai sword in a shop in broad daylight.When he survived, the gang ambushed and killed Maheswaran Kaneshan, 26, in the street using an axe, swords and a cricket bat.
Anantharaja fled to Sri Lanka after the murder in January 2004 and returned to the UK last year. He was convicted of murder and attempted murder by an Old Bailey jury and jailed for life with a minimum of 24 years behind bars.His follower Sivaprakasam Rajeskanna, 34, was convicted of the murder and jailed for life with a minimum of 14 years behind bars.Fellow gang leader Sivaungham Sivakumar, a 35-year-old businessman known as 'The Master', is already serving a life sentence for his role in the same attacks

Rafael Alvarez, Wander Espinal, Danny Joel Rodriguez and Carlos Hilario, all born in the Dominican Republic, have been charged with murder

Manhattan District Federal prosecutor Robert Morgenthau yesterday announced the indictment of four Dominicans on five charges of murder carried out by hit men in the Dominican Republic, and whom for years trafficked drugs across borders using New York as their base. The official said Rafael Alvarez, Wander Espinal, Danny Joel Rodriguez and Carlos Hilario, all, said Morgenthau, born in the Dominican Republic, have been charged on 25 counts of murder, conspiracy, money laundering and conspiracy to distribute cocaine in New York. He said the accused hired several hit men to murder five Dominicans in Santiago (north) and San Francisco (northeast), to consolidate their criminal ties with drug traffickers and eliminate their rivals.
They were all living in the United States without legal documents, an Immigration official said in the press conference, adding that they are being held in local jails, but once they serve out their time, "papers will be given them but to be deported to their country and that is obviously going to take a few years."
If found guilty, Alvarez and Espinal face up to 20 years in prison and possible life imprisonment, whereas Rodriguez and Hilario could face 1 and 20 years in jail, respectively.

Arrested Larry A. Pina, 17, of New Bedford over the weekend

Reputed Monte Park gang member is charged with being an accessory to a shooting earlier this month near New Bedford District Court and the Hastings Keith Federal Building, reports the Standard-Times.Police arrested Larry A. Pina, 17, of New Bedford over the weekend after witnesses said they saw him with two other suspects running from the scene.On May 1, witnesses reported hearing multiple gun shots in the downtown area. Three unoccupied cars were struck by bullets. Police found six shell casings. There were no reported injuries.Witnesses said they saw three black, teenage boys running from the scene. One of the suspects was described as having short hair and was seen walking into the McDonald’s on County Street.

Vinh Truong is out on $25,000 bail.

Police arrested Truong on Wednesday, charging him in connection with a shooting in Sandstone on New Year's Eve 2007.In the incident, disguised gunmen walked up to a jeep and opened fire on two men who both survived.The Calgary Sun reports, one of the men who escaped injury in that attack was Matthew Chubak. Police had pegged him as an associate of the "Fresh off the Boat" gang.Chubak was killed in January. The charges against Truong come on the heels of four men accused of attempted murder after a shooting in Chinatown last November.purported gang member charged in connection with a New Year’s Eve 2007 shooting has been released on bail.Justice of the Peace Will Shiplett today agreed to free Vinh Truong pending trial on two attempted murder charges and an allegation of discharging a firearm with intent to endanger life.Shiplett agreed with defence lawyer Charlie Stewart to release Truong on a $25,000, non-cash bail, providing his parents post a surety to ensure his attendance in court.Crown prosecutor Brian Holtby opposed Truong’s release, arguing his detention was necessary for the protection, or safety of the general public.
Truong was arrested Wednesday and charged in connection with a Dec. 31, 2007, shooting in Sandstone, where disguised gunmen walked up to a Jeep and opened fire, riddling it with near two dozen bullets.One of the two men who escaped injury in the attack was Matthew Chubak — said to be an associate of the Fresh off the Boat gang — who was slain this past January.Chubak was also one of the targets of an alleged attempted murder last Nov. 16, in Chinatown, when four men in a car were shot at.
The other man who escaped injury in the Sandstone shooting is said to be a gang associate who was shot while with gangster Roger Chin at a Falconridge gas bar about two months later. In July 2008, 23-year-old Chin was gunned down in a deadly drive-by on Centre St. N.Although police have made many recent inroads in the fight against gangs — seizing drugs, firearms and ammunition as well as keeping tabs on them while they are in the community pending upcoming court charges — arrests for more serious crimes are relatively rare.The charges against Truong on the heels of four men being accused of attempted murder after a November 2008 shootout in Chinatown.That case is still before the courts.Truong returns to court on June 11, when Holtby is supposed to present Stewart with Crown disclosure

Ian "Blink" McDonald's Mercedes has been torched while parked outside his house in the Hogganfield area of the city.

Ian "Blink" McDonald's Mercedes has been torched while parked outside his house in the Hogganfield area of the city.The attack happened shortly after 1am yesterday, while Mr McDonald was being held in police custody for an alleged nightclub brawl on Friday. He is due to appear in court today in connection with that incident.The firebombing of the car - registration number "B1LNK" - comes just days after the career criminal survived two attempts on his life.May 8, army explosives experts defused a gas canister hidden beneath the same black Mercedes.Then, just four days later, three men ambushed Mr McDonald, 48, near his mother's home in Provanmill while he was walking his dog. The attackers leapt out of a car and pinned him to the ground, slashing his cheek and ear and attempting to cut his throat.The extent of Mr McDonald's injuries saw him undergo three hours of plastic surgery, but last week he shrugged off the attack as the work of "daft wee boys".But a source revealed last night he is seething with those responsible.The source said: "People are trying to send Blink a message that they are not happy. In public he remains defiant but behind close doors he is raging and even more so now after this."

Andre Francis Remekie was stopped May 8 at a Langley gas station

Andre Francis Remekie was stopped May 8 at a Langley gas station by the uniformed component of the task force.“He was checked along with a well-known Lower Mainland gang associate,” Kirk said. “And he was found to have a warrant out of Edmonton for trafficking in cocaine.”The Vancouver Sun has learned that Remekie was with Sandip Singh (Dip) Duhre, a former associate of the late Bindy Johal who had been living out of province since two attempts were made on his life.Duhre and his brother Balraj were both targeted in shootings twice in 2005, with Balraj being wounded in a Vietnamese restaurant in east Vancouver.Sandip escaped injury when his car was sprayed with gunfire at a Surrey convenience store in May 2005, but his friend Dean Mohamed Elshamy was killed.In July 2005, both Balraj and Sandip were shot at as they drove through east Vancouver. Their bullet-proof sedan saved their lives.The fact such a connected B.C. gangster was in the presence of an accused trafficker from Alberta shows the networking ability of Metro Vancouver gangs, Kirk said.“We are fully aware that groups operating in this province have interprovincial connections,” he said.Kirk said the IGTF is going to use whatever means it can to make those involved in gangs accountable for their actions.“The use of Con Air to send this accused person to Alberta highlights the creative methods we are employing,” Kirk said.He said Remekie’s warrant was originally only for the Edmonton area, but police there agreed to extend it to B.C. so the accused could be arrested and sent back.Remekie, 28, was charged in Fort McMurray in 2004 with trafficking crack cocaine and possessing proceeds of crime.He was also charged with trafficking in Edmonton in 2000 after he and three associates were stopped in vehicle in which police say they found pot packaged for sale, a sawed-off shotgun, cash and several cellphones.Con Air was started by the Vancouver Police Department to fly accused criminals back to the jurisdictions in which they were facing charges. The program has since been adopted by other police departments and received an operating grant from the provincial government.

Mauricio Diaz, 33, the known leader of the Puro Lil Mafia

Mauricio Diaz, 33, the known leader of the Puro Lil Mafia ( PLM ), a violent criminal street gang that operated in Wichita Falls, Texas, was indicted today by a federal grand jury in Dallas, announced acting U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the Northern District of Texas. Diaz, has been in custody since his arrest on April 8, 2009, when members of the Wichita Falls Police Department SWAT Team and FBI agents executed arrest and search warrants for Diaz at his residence on Redbud Lane in Wichita Falls. A detention hearing is scheduled for Diaz in U.S. District Court in Dallas on May 11, 2009, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Wm. F. Sanderson, Jr.On April 8, 2009, law enforcement arrested eight of 12 alleged PLM members that were indicted the previous day by a federal grand jury in Dallas on federal weapons and/or narcotics charges. The remaining four defendants were already in state or local custody on related charges. The defendants have pled not guilty to the charges and are scheduled to be tried in Wichita Falls in late June 2009.During the search of Diaz’s residence last month, officers noted a strong smell of marihuana throughout the house and located Diaz, along with his wife and two children. Officers also located a digital scale, with what appeared to be marihuana residue, in the master bedroom. On the top of the dresser, next to the scale, was a box of plastic sandwich bags which are commonly used to package illegal narcotics. In a top drawer of the dresser, officers found two large Ziploc bags containing approximately three grams of marihuana. In the next drawer, officers found a loaded Smith and Wesson .38 caliber special revolver and a box of ammunition wrapped in a gray bandanna; more ammunition was found in the kitchen pantry. According to documents filed in court, PLM members often carry or wear gray bandanas to signify their membership in the gang. Officers also found a digital pocket balance on a shelf in the closet; balances are commonly used in drug transactions.Outside the residence, two surveillance cameras were found pointing toward the front yard and street. There was a small television on the floor in the living room that displayed the camera views. The surveillance system was in good working order. According to court documents, such extensive video surveillance is also commonly used to protect places where drugs are kept.The indictment charges Diaz with one count each of possession with intent to distribute marihuana, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The maximum statutory sentence for the drug offense, upon conviction, is five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime carries a mandatory five year penalty, to run consecutive to any other imposed sentence, and a $250,000 fine. The maximum statutory sentence for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The indictment also includes a forfeiture allegation which would require Diaz, upon conviction, to forfeit his residence on Redbud Lane, as well as the firearm, to the government.Mr. Jacks praised the excellent investigative efforts of the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement ( ICE ), the U.S. Marshals Service, the Wichita Falls Police Department, the Wichita Falls County Sheriff’s Office, the Wichita Falls City Attorney’s Office and the Wichita County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taly Haffar and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Hector M. Valle are prosecuting the case.

Jeremi “J-Shasta” Chaplin, 22, earned a reputation of robbing drug dealers and shooting up parties and clubs

Leaders Jeremi “J-Shasta” Chaplin, 22, earned a reputation of robbing drug dealers and shooting up parties and clubs beginning when he was 17. Other leaders were identified as Antonio “Tiger” Williams, 20; Reginald “Young Smoke” Lewis II, 23; Courtney “Chicago” Frierson, 19; Sharodd “Ville” Mitchell, 20; and Darien “D” Flowers, 19; and Vincent “Poppa” Byrd, 23. Seven men arrested in the past two years were the leaders of a violent street gang that wreaked havoc in Duval, Clay, Volusia and Leon counties.The men, all tied to Westside neighborhoods off 103rd Street, have been charged in the past few weeks under a state law that allows gang members to be prosecuted as members of a criminal enterprise. They are accused under the Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organizations statute of committing crimes, ranging from robbery to car theft, for the gang or benefit of the gang.
Police and prosecutors said with 204 felonies and 221 misdemeanors under their belts, business was good. And information released Tuesday about the men and their gang give one of the most detailed accountings of such violence ever made public in Jacksonville.
The men face a maximum of 60 years in prison in the RICO case. They are being held on $1 million bail.Rutherford said another 17 gangs with 221 members are operating in the city. He called RICO a “big hammer” that he intends to use to eliminate those groups.The 18-month probe was labeled Operation 103rd St. CHB. It was named after a part of the gang known as the 103rd Street Certified Head Bustas. Offshoots include the 103rd Street Savages or the 103rd Street Trap Boyz, arrest reports said.The gang began operating in 2004, made up primarily of people who grew up on the Westside around 103rd Street and Interstate 295, police said. Many attended Nathan B. Forrest High School, where the gang was started.Members began earning credibility by stealing cars from car lots and rental car agencies, petty hustling and selling drugs. Those who stole nicer cars than others were given more credibility. Those with the most money earned respect from gang leaders, who often split the proceeds of crimes, the arrest reports said.Members who robbed people on the street for gold jewelry wore it to build credibility. Younger members who wanted to earn respect volunteered to commit drive-by shootings. No shooting victims were included in arrest reports and Rutherford did not refer to any murders connected to the gang.
Members had shirts made with CHB logos and made CDs under a CHB label. Lyrics glorified drug dealing, robbery and shootings. Several gang members were named in the songs.About 36 people were directly part of the gang, while another 40 were from affiliates, some known as Buck Block and Sherwood, arrest reports said. Gang members range in age from 18 to 24. They had a common hand sign and tattoos, including “103rd Street,” “CHB,” “Get Money,” “Hot Boy” or “MOB.” They also often wore camouflage clothing.Members bragged and blogged about their viciousness on social networking Web sites such as MySpace.com. Their feuds included run-ins with other gangs from neighborhoods in Lackawanna, Sweetwater and the Eastside. Those incidents included shootings, fights at nightclubs and subsequent retaliation.On Tuesday, police displayed one of the gang’s T-shirts with a picture of smiling members flashing gang signs. The lettering around the picture read: “If It’s Gangsta Then We All In.”

$1 million cash-only bail was set today for the Latin Kings street gang member Joseph "King Megs," Moreira

$1 million cash-only bail was set today for the Latin Kings street gang member who was arrested in Maryland last week by U.S. marshals after being on the run since a 2005 murder on a Jersey City Heights street corner. The marshals used a taser to subdue Joseph "King Megs," Moreira, 29, formerly of Marshall Drive in Hoboken, when they arrested him last Friday night in Prince Charles County, officials said.Moreira was returned to New Jersey Thursday night and yesterday made his first appearance in court on charges he gunned down Juan Batista, 26, on Oct. 18, 2005, on the sidewalk outside a Palisade Avenue barbershop, officials said.Central Judicial Processing Court Judge Richard Nieto informed Moreira of the bail, but also told the defendant he would be held without bail because there is a detainer on him for a violation of parole and a detainer related to a Family Court matter. Moreira appeared via video link from Hudson County jail in Kearny.A tip on the Latin King's whereabouts led to a monthlong investigation by the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office.Prosecutor Edward DeFazio said when Moreira was arrested he "was refusing to admit who he was and didn't want to be cuffed and after not complying with the authorities, he was tased and taken into custody."On the night of the 2005 shooting, Moreira got out of a car, approached Batista, and said something to him before opening fire, officials said. The victim was shot multiple times in the head and back, but managed to run a few steps before collapsing, officials said. The motive for the shooting was a prior beef between the gunman and victim, investigators said.Today, Moreira spoke privately for some time with Public Defender Don Gardner using the phone in the video conferencing room. Afterward, Gardner said he would note the matter they discussed, but he did not disclose what the conversation pertained to.
The case against Moreira will now be presented to a grand jury seeking indictment.

Ger Dundon senior member of the notorious McCarthy-Dundon criminal gang was back on the streets of Limerick last night.

senior member of the notorious McCarthy-Dundon criminal gang was back on the streets of Limerick last night.Ger Dundon (22) returned to the city yesterday after being freed from the Midlands Prison in Portlaoise at lunchtime.Mystery remains over the exact circumstances surrounding his release, but a prison source said he had served his full sentence.Earlier this week, Dundon's barrister argued that his client should have been released on April 7 last as he had served 10 months for more than 30 motoring and public orderoffences. Dundon was locked up for 59 days from July 5 last to September 2, but was released pending appeal.His appeal, which was heard on October 24, was unsuccessful and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest after he failed to appear before the court. He was eventually imprisoned last November.Last night Dundon was at his home on the southside of Limerick celebrating his release.