The Province, anti-gang units and local police continue to make progress with work underway on B.C.’s $23-million expanded Guns and Gangs Strategy.

Actions completed since the last update provided on Nov. 2, 2016 include:

• Launch of new End Gang Life Videos: http://www.cfseu.bc.ca/end-gang-life/
• End Gang Life Gang Exiting Pilot intake of first participants: http://www.cfseu.bc.ca/end-gang-life/b-c-gang-exit-pilot/

Additional guns and gangs strategy actions ongoing and underway:

• Staffing of the new Office of Crime Reduction and Gang Outreach.
• Illegal Firearms Task Force work to inform recommendations for government.
• The Criminal Justice Branch’s work to dedicate two full-time prosecutors and a paralegal to prioritizing cases linked to guns and gangs.
• Development of the Crime Stoppers initiative focused on firearms.

Significant local enforcement announcements between Nov. 2, 2016 and Jan. 17, 2017:

• Canadian Border Services Agency reports out on 17kg cocaine bust at Pacific Highway Crossing: http://news.gc.ca/web/article-en.do?nid=1179489&tp=1
• Eight arrested in Prince George drug trafficking investigation: http://princegeorge.bc.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=2113&languageId=1&contentId=49682
• Multijurisdictional investigation led by New Westminster Police Department, RCMP and the Canada Border Services Agency nets significant drug seizure and approved drug charges. Fentanyl was amongst the drugs seized: http://www.nwpolice.org/blog/2017/01/12/alleged-drug-trafficker-charged/
• 19 charged and fentanyl seized in undercover Vernon-North Okanagan RCMP drug bust: http://vernon-northokanagan.bc.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=2130&languageId=1&contentId=49604
• West Shore RCMP seize drugs, cash and 600 fentanyl pills: http://westshore.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=2127&languageId=1&contentId=49597
• Canadian Border Service Agency seize 31 kilograms of meth: http://news.gc.ca/web/article-en.do?nid=1174989&tp=1
• Williams Lake RCMP seize weapons and explosives: http://williamslake.bc.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=2129&languageId=1&contentId=49275
• Kelowna RCMP stop large drug operation, seizing guns, drugs and cash: http://kelowna.bc.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=2087&languageId=1&contentId=49207
• Vancouver Police Department make large drug seizure worth approx. $4.5 million: http://mediareleases.vpd.ca/2016/12/07/vpd-makes-large-drug-seizure/
• Multi-Jurisdictional investigation supported by Victoria Police Department results in major fentanyl and other drug seizure: https://vicpd.ca/node/1292
• Vancouver Island RCMP make significant fentanyl bust: http://nanaimo.bc.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=876&languageId=1&contentId=48577
• Alleged Fraser Valley Dial a Dope Ring shut down by Chilliwack RCMP:  http://bc.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=2087&languageId=1&contentId=48849
• Combined Forces Special Enfocement Unit of B.C. (CFSEU-BC) arrest and search warrant results in finding possible drug lab in Williams Lake: http://www.cfseu.bc.ca/cfseu-bc-arrest-and-search-warrant-results-in-finding-possible-clandestine-drug-lab-in-williams-lake/
• Meth labs located and seized by Richmond RCMP and the RCMP Clandestine Laboratory Enforcement and Response Team (CLEAR): http://richmond.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=2122&languageId=1&contentId=48837
• Nanaimo RCMP search warrants net weapons and drugs: http://bc.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=876&languageId=1&contentId=49111
• Kamloops RCMP drug unit seizes drugs and cash: http://bc.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=2116&languageId=1&contentId=49155
• One man connected to Townline Hill conflict arrested and charged for firearms offences: http://www.cfseu.bc.ca/one-man-connected-to-townline-hill-conflict-arrested-and-charged-for-firearm-offences/

Cross-government and community actions that support the Guns and Gangs Strategy completed since Nov. 2, 2016 include:

• The City of Surrey City Centre Response Plan with Outreach Team. This plan focuses on addressing the public safety and health concerns of homelessness and drug use with support from a team of 12 Surrey RCMP officers and 4 bylaw officers work to target low level dealers preying on vulnerable citizens in the area, increase public safety and help those in immediate need: http://www.surrey.ca/city-government/21706.aspx
• The City of Surrey Project IRIS (Integrated Resources for Investigations and Safety) Camera Registry to help provide law enforcement with video footage that may support convictions or criminal investigations: http://surrey.ca/community/20957.aspx

Ongoing local efforts to engage and inform parents and community members:

• End Gang Life school presentations by CFSEU-BC approximately every two weeks. To date, more than 60 presentations to over 20,000 students have been completed including every middle and high school student in Nanaimo and Kelowna: cfseu.bc.ca/end-gang-life/
• The Surrey Wrap Around Safe Schools Program in partnership with the Surrey School District, Surrey RCMP and the City of Surrey to help keep at-risk youth out of the gang and criminal lifestyle - approximately 100 B.C. youths participating: http://surrey.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=73&languageId=1&contentId=8915

Additional resources:

• The 'Understanding Youth and Gangs - A Parent Resource' booklet is available in English, Vietnamese, Punjabi, Tagalog, Somali, Arabic, Chinese, Korean and Spanish - soon to be available in Farsi and Hindi. cfseu.bc.ca/end-gang-life/end-gang-life-multilingual-booklets/
• The Surrey RCMP Parent Helpline at 604 599-7800 is available to parents who are concerned about their children becoming involved in illegal activities. http://surrey.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=1484&languageId=1&contentId=46508