The Picton file a fortune built on land and depravity.
In the mid 1990s, Metro Vancouver was a city caught
between rapid development and a festering criminal underworld.
As a real estate boom fueled the quick accumulation of wealth,
few families benefited more from the surge in the Pictons, a
quiet farming family from Port Coquitlam who overnight
transformed into millionaires. Their fortune was built on the
sale of their sprawling farmland.
What went on behind the scenes at their and famous Piggy Palace
revealed a much darker side to their wealth.
This is the tale of fast money in Vancouver suburbs and the
horrifying consequences when wealth Shields the wicked from
justice, from farmers to millionaires.
In 1994, the Picton family struck it rich, having purchased
their farmland for a mere $18,000 in 1963, they saw its
value skyrocket as Pork Coquitlam, part of Metro
Vancouver, experienced a real estate boom.
By 1993, the land was worth 300,000.
By 1994, as developers scrambled to cash in on the area's
potential, the property was valued at a staggering 7.2
million. The Pictons began selling off
parcels of their land. In one deal, they sold a section
of the farm for 1.7 million to Internal Holdings, a townhouse
development company. Soon after, the city of
Porcoquitlam bought another piece for 1.2 millions, turning
into a public park, And in 1995 the local school district paid
2.3 million for part of the farm where Blackburn Elementary
School was later built. The Pictons have gone from
humble pig farmers to millionaires seemingly
overnight. Flushed with cash, Robert
Pickton and his brother David saw an opportunity beyond
farming. David picked and moved just a
mile down the road from their families farm to a new property
on Burns Rd. where he opened a party palace that would become
notorious and local legend. Officially known as the Piggy
Palace Good Time Society, this venue was marketed as a charity
driven social club for fundraiser events.
In reality, it became a cesspool of illegal activities and a
massive cash cow for the Pictons.
A palace attracted large crowds drawn by its wild parties,
complete with free flowing alcohol and roasted pork from
the family's farm. Attendees included an eclectic
mix, bikers, locals, even law enforcement sex workers from the
Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, many whom would later go
missing. One of the largest draws to
Piggy Pals, however, was not the parties but the illegal rooster
fights that were regularly held on the premises.
These events, widely known to attract very large crowds,
involving substantial gambling and bets were placed on the
fight and the Picton brothers took a cut from each and every
wager, plus there was an attendance fee to enter.
They sold bootleg cigarettes and also liquor sales, making these
events enormously profitable. And for an additional fee,
attendees were given access to sex workers often lured from the
Vancouver's Downtown East side. Despite its reputation, the
Pictons managed to evade serious scrutiny.
For years. Piggy Palace remained a
lucrative operation, funneling cash into the brothers pockets
while providing a venue for illicit activity.
The question is, how did they manage to keep operating so
brazenly? The Picton's new found wealth
didn't just fund their illegal operations, but it allowed
Robert Picton to surround himself with top tier legal
protection whenever trouble came knocking.
In 1997, Picton was charged with attempted murder after a woman
narrowly escaped from his farm bleeding from stab wounds after
an attack. The case should have been a
tipping point, a moment when authorities could have uncovered
the horrors that would later come to light.
But it wasn't. Why?
Because Picton could afford the best, The legal situation that
could have bankrupted an ordinary person was just a minor
financial set back for the now wealthy Robert Picton.
Estimates of the legal fees cost Picton hundreds of thousands of
dollars, but with millions in the bank, this expenditure was
insignificant compared to the protection he has gained.
His legal counsel managed to negotiate the charge down to
assault with a deadly weapon and Picton was soon breathed to
continue his activity. The wealth Robert Picton
accumulated from land sales and piggy palace part had acted as a
shield, allowing him to buy his way out of trouble.
This tragedy prolonged his reign of terror, and it wasn't until
2002, five years after that attack, that police finally
arrested Picton for the murder of multiple women.
By then, he's already claimed far too many lives.
As Picton's wealth grew, so did the number of missing women from
the Downtown East Side. Between 1995 and 2001, the
disappearances of sex workers became an alarming trend At or
near Piggy Palace. With his new found status in
wealth gave them the means to carry on their operation under
the guise of respectability. The very money that made the
millionaires largely through legitimate land sales was the
same money that allowed them to continue their grim activities.
The sprawling farm, once a source of their fortune, would
eventually be revealed as a graveyard for their victims.
In the mid 1990s, as Vancouver became a hotbed for fast money,
the Pictons were prime beneficiaries.
The rapid edification and booming real estate market made
millionaires out of pig farmers, but their wealth came at a
horrifying cost. As women went missing,
authorities turned a blind eye to shady operations at Piggy
Palace. It became clear that money could
not only buy privilege, but it also could cover up the ugliest
truce. The disappearances of vulnerable
women, the illegal operations at Peggy Palace, and Robert
Pickton's ability to evade serious charges for years all
point to the corrupting powers of fast money.
And while the Pickton's may have profited greatly from the
Vancouver real estate boom, their fortune was built on the
backs of the city's most marginalized women.
Their story is a chilling reminder of what could happen
when wealth and crime intertwined, and how in a city
obsessed with fast cash, justice can be bought and sold.
The Picton's case is often remembered for its horrific
crimes committed, but also highlights another dark truth.
Wealth can buy freedom, even for the most dangerous of men.
As more is uncovered about the vast fortune the Pictons
amassed, it becomes clear that money not only fuels their
depravity but also allowed them to evade accountability for far
too long. Well, this chapter of the Picton
File dwells into the wealth that protected them.
Future episodes will explore the 1997 arrest and the moment when
authorities could have stopped Robert Picton before his killing
spree continued, had it not been for his deep pockets and the
legal firewall he built around himself.
Please stay tuned for next installments of this
investigation into Vancouver's twisted intersection of money,
power and crime. In the next episode, I'll be
deep diving into the 1990s, a rise of gangland, murders, drug
trafficking, turf wars, death squads, and the cracks and the
mockery of the Canadian justice system.
Thank you for listening. In the early 1990s, Vancouver
was a city simmering with intrigue, and few stories
encapsulated its dark underbelly quite like the murder of
stockbroker John Raymond Ray Giannotti.
With connections to the criminal underworld and business dealings
that raise more than a few eyebrows, his death remained a
focal point in discussions about organized crime and contract
killings in Canada. Ray Giannotti was a man of
contradiction. A flamboyant stockbroker known
for his aggressive business style, Giannotti worked for more
than a decade in Vancouver's financial sector, including a
stint at Canarim Investment Corp, one of the city's most
prominent brokerage houses. A successful businessman by many
accounts, Giannotti's reputation was overshadowed by whispers of
his association with the criminal underworld.
While Giannotti was never official member of any notorious
organizations, he didn't shy away from publicizing his
connection with influential players in Vancouver's darker
circles. He even flaunted these
associations, leading to speculation that his business
success was tied to these dangerous affiliations.
His name became synonymous with risk in both in finance and in
life. On May 9th, 1990, Ray
Giannotti's double life came to a brutal end.
He was found murdered in his West Vancouver home, shot
execution style with a single bullet to his head.
His death shocked the city's elite, but those familiar with
his underworld connections weren't as surprised.
An investigator would later discover this wasn't a random
act of violence but a calculating contract killing the
men responsible for Giannotti's murder.
Cuban national Jose Raul Perez Valdez would confess.
Years later, Perez Valdez revealed that he's been hired to
carry out the execution for $30,000, a figure that
underscored the gravity of the crime.
But the mystery didn't stop with Perez Valdez.
The order for the hit had allegedly come from Roger
Daggett, Giannotti's former bodyguard, a known enforcer in
the criminal underworld. Roger Daggett's role in this web
of intrigue was pivotal. Once a trusted confidant of
Giannotti, Daggett's relationship with the
stockbroker has soured. As a figure with deep
connections to organized crime, Daggett was believed to have
orchestrated the murder. After their fallout, the complex
dynamics of the criminal underworld meant that betrayal
was inevitable. Just two years after Giannadi's
murder, Daggett would meet his own a violent end.
In October 1992, he was shot three times in the back of the
head while drinking at the Turf Hotel in Surrey, BC.
His death was carried out by Montreal contract killer Serge
Robin, who would later plead guilty to the crime.
Daggett's murder not only marked a critical moment in this
tangled saga, but it pointed a broader culture of retribution
within Vancouver's criminal network.
The murders of both Ray Giannotti and Roger Daggett
revealed the intricate, violent, and far reaching operations of
organized crime in Vancouver during the early 1990s.
Giannotti's execution, ordered by someone he once trusted, and
Daggett's subsequent murder underscored a system of
retribution that operated far outside the law.
Perez Valdez confession and cooperation with police added
another layer to the investigation.
Though he was charged with Giannotti's murder in 1995, it
took until 2003 for him to be extradited to Canada to face
trial. His eventual guilty plea
provided authorities with insight into the criminal
underworld, but the case is also demonstrated how long these
investigations could stretch. The murders of Giannotti and
Daggett were not isolated incidents.
The history of Vancouver's organized crime scene, contract
killing, violent retributions, and connections to the city's
criminal underworld painted a broader picture of Vancouver's
underbelly during this period. Notably, the fallout from
Giannotti's murder speaks to the ruthless nature of the criminal
in a world where no one, no matter how well connected, was
truly safe. The intertwining thories of
stockbrokers, enforcers, and hitmen all point to a landscape
where the lines between legitimate business and crime
were often blurred. Giannotti's life and death
remained a haunting reminder of all the volatility and danger
inherent in the criminal underworld.
What began as a high flying career in finance devolved into
a tale of betrayal, murder, retribution.
One thing remains clear, the Vancouver organized crime scene,
with its shadowy alliances and brutal enforcement, remains a
force that has left a mark on the city's history.
So, key motivations behind the murder of Ray Giannotti Falling
out with bodyguard with Roger Daggett Roger Daggett,
Giannotti's former bodyguard and underworld enforcer, allegedly
ordered the hit on Giannotti. The relationship soured due to
personal and professional conflict.
Daggett, described as a violent enforcer, had deep connection
with organized crime, amplifying suspicion of internal disputes.
Cuban national Jose Raul Perez Valdez admitted to carrying out
Giannotti murder in exchange for $30,000.
The execution style killing a single bullet to the head
signifies premeditation and professional hit typical of
organized crime executions. Perez Aldez confession pointed
to the calculated nature of the crime, suggesting Giannotti was
viewed as a liability or threat. A week after Giannotti murder,
Russian gangster survey Philonov was killed in Vancouver,
allegedly boasting about his involvement in the murder as
retaliation over a cocaine deal that has gone wrong.
The rivalry between outlaw bikers and Russian organized
crime groups in Vancouver likely played a role in Giannotti's
execution. Bob Daggett himself was murdered
two years later, shot in the back of the head by a contract
killer, Serge Robin, indicating that his involvement in
Giannotti's murder had made him a target for retribution.
The circle of violence highlighted the volatile and
ruthless environment within the criminal underworld during this
period. This case reveals a web of
alliances, betrayals within Vancouver's organized crime
scene, where disputes over drugs, power and money
frequently ended in murder. The killer was Serge Robin, a
contract killer from Montreal. Born into chaos, he was groomed
by a world that molded him into one of Canada's most dangerous
men. His father, a convicted rapist,
and his mother trapped in the sex work, Robin never stood a
chance. He found himself thrust into a
foster system that nurtured his rage rather than restrained it.
By a 16, Robin had already found his way into prison.
In 1973, he was sentenced to four years for armed robbery, a
brutal assault in which he wielded a metal ashtray as a
weapon. That first sentence was just the
start. Prison did not reform him.
Instead, it steeled his resolve and sharpened his propensity for
violence. In 1976, the streets of Quebec
City bore witness to the ACT that would haunt him for
decades. The 17 year old became a tragic
target for his wrath. Robin beat her to death with a
crowbar on the Plains of Abraham.
The cruelty of that act sealed his fate as a killer.
Convicted in 1977, his sentence extended indefinitely, casting
him into the shadowy corners of the Canadian prison system.
But even behind bars, Robin's darkness only deepens.
In 1979, he was accused of killing two fellow inmates.
Though acquitted, those murders hung over him, a mark of
unrelenting violence that followed him wherever he went.
To many, it seemed that Robin has found his place in the
hierarchy of the prison underworld.
But the fate had a different plan.
In 1992, Robin was granted day parole, a decision that would
soon prove disastrous. Free.
But still, under the constraints of his prison sentence, he
ventured into the treacherous world of organized crime in
British Columbia. It didn't take long for blood to
spill. On October 6th, 1992, he entered
a hotel in Surrey with cold resolve.
Roger Daggett was killed on October 6th, 1992 at the Surf
Hotel in Surrey, BC. He was sitting at a table in the
hotel strip bar while having a beer with his son.
Robin approached Daggett from behind and shot him three times
in the back of the head, killing him instantly.
The murder was carried out in front of other patrons,
including Daggett's son. Robin was hired to kill Daggett,
likely as retribution for Daggett allegedly ordering the
murder of Ray Giannadi, a stockbroker who was killed in
Vancouver in 1990. Daggett had previously worked as
Giannadi's bodyguard. At the time of his death,
Daggett was 39 years old and was described as a powerlifter and
former professional wrestler who possessed strength and athletic
ability. He was also alleged to be the
enforcer for outlaw bikers and the criminal underworld.
Robin was eventually arrested and charged with Daggett's
murder. He pleaded guilty to 2nd degree
murder and was sentenced to life in a Maximus Security prison.
Two days later, after shooting Roger Daggett, this time in
front of a Vancouver pub with Robert Palletier, a fellow
Montrealer was gunned down in plain sight.
Witnesses tackled Robin to the ground, turning him over to the
police as quickly as the shots that echoed through the street.
The Palletier killing was not just another random act of
violence. It was a dispute over drug
territory, a battle for control over Vancouver's lucrative
playground. Robin's 1994 trial for
Palletier's murder revealed a man desperately clinging to
excuses. He claimed he was drunk, high on
cocaine, fuelled by rage after Palletier allegedly assaulted
his girlfriend. But the jury saw through this
defense and Robin was convicted of second degree murder.
The final omission of guilt for Daggett's killing would come two
years later, in 1996. By then, the underworld has
caught up with him. Rumors swirled that a contract
has been placed on his own life. For decades, Robin languished in
prison. His reputation as a brutal
killer firmly cemented his ties to the infamous Rock Machine
biker gang. But inside the high security
cell, even that affiliation couldn't protect him from the
violence that continued to swirl around him.
By 2018, the unstoppable forces of his rage meant of terminal
illness. Cancer ate away at a man once
feared by so many. Now weakened and fragile, he no
longer posed a threat as his physical abilities dwindled to
nearly nothing. A psychiatrist declared Robin a
psychopath, but also a shell of the violent man he once been.
He was no longer a predator. Cancer have robbed him from
that, leaving him to confront the end of his life, helpless
and confused. In 2021, at the age of 63, the
Parole Board of Canada granted Sir Robin full parole.
No longer the fearsome enforcer of his younger days, he was
frail and just 10 to 15% of his physical capabilities remaining.
His last days would not be spent behind the cold iron bars of a
penitentiary, but in a palliative care centre in
central Quebec, as his failing body allowed it.
He had been given what many considered an undeserved mercy
to die with some semblance of dignity outside of prison walls.
The disappearance of Nick and Lisa Massey.
Vancouver's deadly dance with crime On the warm evening of
August 10th, 1994, Nick Massey, a retired banker, and his wife
Lisa, banished without a trace from North Vancouver, BC.
What should have been an ordinary night soon unraveled
into one of the region's most baffling mystery intertwining
with financial scandal. Organized crime Vancouver during
the early 1990s was quietly earning a reputation more
dangerous than its picturesque mountain views suggested the
city, especially its infamous Vancouver Stock Exchange, the
VSE, Where stakes were high, frauds and criminal enterprises
flourished unchecked. A growing rot or legitimate
finance and criminal enterprises began to merge the night they
vanished. In the days leading up to their
disappearance, certain events hinted that something darker
loomed in the background. On August 10th, Nick had made a
reservation for four at Trader Vic's, a popular restaurant, but
no one showed up and no calls were made to cancel the
reservation. That evening, the couple was
reportedly seen sipping wine at the Weston Bayshore Garden
Lounge, Nick casually dressed in a jogging suit.
Their evening seemed peaceful, but what followed was anything
but. By the next morning, Lisa made
two peculiar phone calls, one to her boss and the other to Nick's
business partner, informing them that they would be away for a
few days. The calls were traced to Bowen
Island, suggesting the Massey's could have been near the
Sunshine Coast or on Vancouver's West side.
This was the last anyone heard from them.
A week later, police entered the Massey's North Vancouver home to
find the front door unlocked, their car parked in the driveway
and two plastic zip ties eerily left near the entrance.
Their passport remained untouched, and no withdrawals
have been made from their bank account.
The couple seemingly vanished in the thin air.
No ransom demand, no body. Just silence.
As investigators began piercing together clues, a series of
unsettling effects emerged. Though there was no overt signs
that the Massey's lived a high risk lifestyle, whispers of
Nick's entanglements with questionable financial dealings
grew louder. Before his retirement, Nick had
been involved with the Vancouver financial scene, especially the
Vancouver Stock Exchange. The VSC was notorious during the
1980s and the 1990s for its rampant corruption, earning the
nickname the Scam Capital of the World.
Penny stocks, often backed by little more than empty promises,
were the financial instruments of choice for fraudsters.
With minimal oversight and weak regulatory enforcement, the
exchange became a playground for con men.
Investors often found themselves victims of elaborate stock
manipulation schemes, while those orchestrating the scams
walked away barely untouched by the law.
It was a high stake games with little accountability, and the
Massey's ties to this world raise suspicion.
Further deepening the mystery. Nick and Lisa had made a secret
trip to the Cayman Islands just a few months prior, where they
opened a bank account with 50,000 in stock.
This transaction hinted at more than just a vacation, possibly a
last minute effort to hide or move funds ashore.
Some speculated that Nick had became entangled in money
laundering, potentially for a motorcycle gang known for its
criminal exploit in Vancouver at the time.
The theory gained traction when it was revealed, but Nick had
attended a funeral the day before his disappearance,
telling others that he planned to leave town.
Was he running from something or someone?
Had Lisa been aware of the looming threats?
A city built on fraud and fast money, Vancouver in the 1990 was
undergoing a seismic shift. It's booming real estate market
and financial sector attracted both legitimate investors and
those with far darker ambition. White collar crime thrived in a
system that lacks serious consequences.
Those involved in fraudulent schemes, particularly tied to
the VSC, knew that even if they were caught, punishments would
likely be a mere slap on the wrist.
At the same time, Vancouver was becoming a hub for organized
crime, with motorcycle gangs and drug syndicates thriving in the
city's underbelly. As fraudsters made millions off
penny stocks, criminals laundered their illegal gains
through seemingly legitimate channels, including the stock
market and real estate. The Massey's, wherever, by
design or circumstances, found themselves caught up in the
middle of this murky world. It was a time when the lines
between the legitimate and the illicit had blurred so
completely. Someone like Nick, once a
banker, could easily find himself involved in dangerous
deals without fully understanding the consequences.
Or perhaps he did, and that's why he was running.
Despite numerous investigations and countless theories, Nick and
Lisa Massey's disappearance remained unsolved.
Decades later, their families still see closure.
Nick would would be 85 years old today and Lisa's 69.
The trail has gone cold, but the case is still a haunting
reminder of an era when Vancouver's rush for fast wealth
came with deadly consequences. The story of the Massey's is not
just a personal tragedy. It's emblematic of a broader
societal decay Vancouver was experiencing in the 1990s when
white collar fraudsters walked freely among criminals and the
city's institutions like the Vancouver Stock Exchange became
tools for exploitation. Innocent, and sometimes a not so
innocent, paid the price. Did his dealings in the Cayman
Islands suggest he was part of something bigger?
These questions remain unanswered, much like the
mystery of Vancouver's dark transformation.
During that time, asses may never be found, but their
disappearance serves the chilling reminder of what
happened. When legitimate and criminal
worlds collide, leaving destruction and silence in their
wake, their families continue to seek answers about their fate.
Welcome to our deep dive on Vancouver gang history.
Could be interesting. We've got some articles from
Past Tense, that blog that really gets into like,
Vancouver's history. Yeah, it's a good one.
And also this paper by Doctor Karen McConnell.
I know his work, Yeah, he takes a really broadview.
And so what's interesting to me at least, is that even though
this paper covers like a much longer period of time, they
actually like overlap quite a bit.
They do giving us a really interesting multifaceted look at
some of the same events and eras and stuff.
That's right. So it seems like you're really
interested in going beyond just like names and dates.
Yeah, definitely more the evolution of Dang activity in
Vancouver. Yeah, like what was it really
like during different eras, right.
And you know what kind of specific events really shaped
the whole landscape? Exactly.
I think it's fascinating because so often we hear about like
unprecedented levels of gang violence, particularly recently.
Like it's all new. Right.
Exactly. Yeah, But when you start digging
into the history, you realize that violence has been like a
recurring theme in Vancouver's gang landscape for over a
century, maybe even longer. So not a new problem at all.
Not at all. OK, so let's go all the way
back, OK, to the 1940s and 50s time of zoot suits.
Yeah, and I think we've all seen the pictures.
Right. Of like the guys hanging out.
Oh, and they're cool outfits. Exactly.
But there was this whole moral panic around zoot suitors,
right? Like were they all delinquents?
The media definitely played a role in portraying them that
way, yeah, you know, creating a lot of fear and stereotypes.
Right. And there's this one story about
Buddy Pearson, right? This local boxer who died after
a fight in 1955. Oh wow.
And his sister really insisted he wasn't a gangster, he was
just a kid who liked the fashion.
That's interesting. Yeah.
So I mean, that kind of shows you that maybe perception wasn't
always reality. Right, The media could
definitely exaggerate things and that creates a lot of
misunderstanding. Yeah.
And so, you know, while there were definitely incidents of
gang violence back then, a lot of them kind of centered around
these social spaces like dance halls and stuff.
That's what places where those social tensions would kind of
bubble over. Yeah, OK, And then you've got
the 1944 Zoot Suit Riots. Yeah, that was a major turning
point. And like a real clash between
these merchant seamen and the zoot suit.
Right. And it went way beyond just a
few punches thrown. Yeah, I mean, we're talking
about gang shootouts, robberies. Even 2 police officers were
killed. Oh wow.
It was a really chaotic and tragic event.
So it kind of shatters this image of these like, harmless
teenagers just hanging out in their cool outfits.
It definitely shows that there was a dark side to that whole
Zoot suit era. Yeah, and it seems like
territoriality was a big factor even back then.
Just like it is today, right? You know, those early gangs were
mostly neighborhood based. Yeah, but things started to
change in the 1960s with the rise of what were called park
gangs. OK.
So you're talking about like the ones in Riley Park?
Yes, Grandview Park. Clark Park.
Those are the big ones. Yeah.
And it seemed like this shift coincided with, like, increased
mobility, right? Yeah, teenagers have more access
to cars. Oh yeah.
They were called ramblers back then, OK, And that meant they
could cover larger territories and that inevitably led to more
clashes. So instead of just fighting
their rivals in their own neighborhood, these gangs could
actually go to other neighborhoods.
Right, which really escalated things.
That seems like a recipe for disaster.
Oh yeah, and there's this one example from 1947 where a bunch
of EastEnders OK drove all the way to Karisdale for a rumble
that drew like over 300 spectators.
Wow, and how did that turn out? Well, the police had to break it
up to prevent a massive brawl. So yeah, sounds like things were
getting pretty out of control. It was definitely a sign of
things to come. And were the 60s even more
violent than the Zoot suit era? I think it's safe to say that
yes, violence definitely escalated, and one of the most
infamous incidents that kind of sums up that era is the 1972
Rolling Stones concert riot at the Pacific Coliseum.
Oh yeah, I've heard stories about that.
Have you? Tell me what happened.
Well, believe it or not, it was all fueled by fake tickets.
Fake tickets. Yeah, apparently the Clark Park
gang and this Marxist gang called Youngblood were involved.
Like a Marxist gang. Yeah, just shows you the diverse
range of groups that were getting caught up in this gang
culture back then. That's wild, right?
So how did things get so out of hand?
Well, it went way beyond fistfights.
People were throwing Molotov cocktails.
Molotov cocktails. Wow.
And someone even brought a homemade bazooka.
A bazooka. A bazooka.
It ended up seriously injuring a police officer.
Geez. It was a really scary situation.
So this wasn't just like kids messing around.
No, it's a serious display of violence.
And then the research paper mentions that the 70s brought
another major shift with the emergence of Asian gangs in
Vancouver. That's right, gangs like the Red
Eagles and the Lotus Gang rose to prominence.
And I guess a lot of them had international connections too,
right? Yeah, that's a key difference
from those earlier gangs. OK, so we're not talking about
just local rivalries anymore? No, this was organized crime
with ties to other countries. And the violence between these
gangs, I mean, was it pretty brutal?
Oh, absolutely. There was a stabbing at the
Stardust roller rink in 1979. OK, that really marked A major
escalation in tensions. So it wasn't just like 1
isolated incident. No, After that it led to a whole
wave of fire, bombings and shootings between those rival
Asian gangs. And then you have the 1985
kidnapping and murder of these restaurant owners, Jimmy and
Lily Ming. Yeah, that case really shook the
city. I remember reading about that,
it was terrifying. I showed how that gang violence
was no longer confined to certain areas or groups, it was
creating this widespread climate of fear.
Yeah, so we've gone from neighborhood brawls to park
gangs and now these powerful Asian gangs with international
ties. That's a pretty dramatic
evolution. It seems like every decade
brings a new level of complexity and violence.
And unfortunately, that trend continued into the 1980s with
the arrival of drive by shootings in Vancouver.
Drive by shootings. Yeah, that's right.
That sounds like something straight out of Los Angeles.
It does, doesn't it? And it's interesting because
this shift coincided with the release of the movie Colors in
1988. I remember that movie, it had a
huge impact. It did like on how people
perceived gangs. Exactly.
It raised awareness of that tactic.
Do you think it actually influenced gang behavior in
Vancouver? It's hard to say for sure, but
it certainly didn't help. And the impact was definitely
felt. Oh yeah, there were some really
high profile incidents in Vancouver.
Like the 1988 Woodland Bridge shooting?
That one was crazy. Tell me about it.
It was like a chaotic shootout involving multiple gangs.
And two victims were just left dumped in front of an ambulance.
Gee. And then there's that incident
where the Loss of Diablos gang fired a shotgun over commuters
heads at the Nanaimo Sky train station.
Oh yeah, I remember hearing about that.
Just to show off. It was a terrifying display of
how brazen this new wave of violence had become.
Yeah, and it wasn't just happening in isolated areas
anymore. Right started spreading into
popular areas like Robson St. So that was in 1989.
Yeah, there was a double stabbing at Pacific Center Mall.
Oh wow, and a drive by shooting on Robson St.
OK. So it was a major turning point
definitely going from these contained rivalries to like this
widespread, unpredictable violence that directly affected
everyday citizens. To create this huge public alarm
and put so much pressure on the police to respond.
OK, so the 90s brought a different kind of evolution, I
guess. Yeah, while Asian gang violence
continued, it started to transition towards more of an
organized crime model. So less public displays of
violence, but perhaps like a deeper, more insidious presence.
Exactly. And a good example of this is
the 1989 Goldstone restaurant shooting.
Yeah, that was a tragic attack on a busy student hangout.
I think I vaguely remember that one.
What made it so significant? Well, it was a targeted attack,
but it took place in this crowded restaurant.
It really highlighted the indiscriminate nature of the
violence. That's scary.
It sent shock waves through the city.
Yeah. People were forced to confront
the reality of gang activity in their myths.
So less St. violence, but a shift toward more calculated
organized crime. Precisely.
And then there's the role of the Dai Wen Jai in curbing St.
violence among Asian gangs. Yeah, that's a fascinating
development. Who are they?
Well, they're a powerful triad society and it's believed they
stepped in around 1992, possibly at the request of older crime
figures in Hong Kong, OK, to kind of impose order.
So it's like they were trying to clean up the streets and operate
more behind the scenes. Yeah, they wanted to lower their
profile and reduce the attention they were attracting.
And was that successful? To a degree, yes.
It was a subtle but crucial shift that really marked the
beginning of a much more deeply entrenched form of organized
crime in Vancouver. Interesting.
And that brings us to Bindi Joe Hall.
Ah, Bindi Joe Hall. His name is practically
synonymous with gang violence in Vancouver.
He's a notorious figure. Yeah, especially in the mid to
late 1990s. Right.
That period was incredibly volatile.
What made it so? Bad Well, Joe Halls rise
coincided with a significant uptick in nightclub violence.
Oh wow. And his 1995 acquittal in the
Dos Anstra Brothers murders seemed to trigger this wave of
retaliatory shootings. Oh jeez.
It created this really intense climate of fear and uncertainty.
It's like gang violence often operates in these cycles.
You're right, one act of violence leads to another,
fueling this endless cycle of retribution.
Yeah, it's a tragic pattern. It is, and the impact on
Vancouver was really palpable. Yeah, like a feeling of unease,
I bet. Especially in the city's
nightlife. And that's what led to the
formation of the Bar Watch Association, right?
Yeah, in December 1995, OK. It was a direct response to that
escalating violence in nightclubs.
Yeah, and it's still active today.
It is a testament to how deeply this issue was affecting the
community. And despite those efforts,
innocent bystanders increasingly got caught in the crossfire.
Tragically, yes. Like Richard Loft in 2002 who
was shot at Delaney's Exotic Show pub.
Just a terrible example of how far reaching the consequences
can be. And then there's Rachel Davis in
2004. Another heartbreaking case.
Killed trying to break up a fight outside a nightclub.
So sensely. And then there's the case of Lee
Mitasi in 2005, killed after challenging a man for firing a
gun outside a nightclub that. One's interesting.
Was it definitively gang related?
The connection to gangs is uncertain, OK, but it definitely
speaks to that broader culture of violence and intimidation
that had taken root in the city. Yeah, it's like even seemingly
ordinary encounters could turn deadly.
That's the scary part. So it's clear that Vancouver was
grappling with a really serious problem.
There was, but it seems like things were about to reach a
whole new level in the late 2000s.
Are you talking about the gang coover years?
Yeah. That was a dark period.
What happened during that time? Between 2007 and 2010, Vancouver
saw this surge in gang related murders on a scale we hadn't
seen in decades. 139 deaths, many of whom were innocent
victims. Like the Surrey 6 murders in
2000. Seven.
Yeah, a truly horrifying event. I remember VPD chief Jim Chu
saying there is a gang war and it's brutal.
It was a pretty stark acknowledgement of the
situation. Yeah, and it wasn't just the
number of deaths, right? It was the brazen nature of the
attacks. They showed a complete disregard
for public safety. Like the shooting of Kevin Le
Clair in 2009. In a busy Langley Mall parking
lot. Yeah, it just showed how little
these gangs cared about who got caught in the crossfire.
And then there's Chris poem. The 13 year old killed in a gang
fight. In 2007.
It's just heartbreaking. And Kirk Hollow Field shot the
same year after being mistaken for a gang member.
Tragic examples of how random and senseless this violence
could be. So we've seen how gang activity
in Vancouver has evolved from these neighborhood clashes to
powerful organized crime networks.
It's been a long and complicated journey.
Has the situation improved since those Vancouver years?
Well, violence has fluctuated in the years since 2010.
OK, but those underlying issues haven't gone away.
The landscape is always shifting.
The sources mentioned the 2011 Kelowna shooting that kissed
Jonathan Bacon and injured Hells Angel Larry Amero.
Yeah, that incident really showed the complex web of
alliances and conflicts that exist between different gangs
and organized crime groups. And the targeted attacks on the
Dakdura group in early 2012. Another example of those cycles
of revenge and retaliation. So it's like this never ending
battle. It can feel that way sometimes.
So the fight against gang activity is far from over in
Vancouver. It requires a long term
commitment and a multifaceted approach.
It's a lot to think about. It is.
And that brings us to the end of part one of our deep dive into
Vancouver's gang history. I'm ready for more.
Me too. We'll be right back with Part 2.
Sounds good. Welcome back to our deep dive
into Vancouver gangs. You've just scratched the
surface. We really have.
We went all the way back to those zoot suit days.
It's crazy how far back it goes. And so we left off talking about
those challenges during those Vancouver years.
Yeah, things were really heating up.
So what happened after that? Well, you know, the years after
2010 saw some, you know, ups and downs and violence.
But those underlying issues, they didn't just vanish, OK?
There was kind of a shift as new players came onto the scene and
old rivalries continued to simmer beneath the surface.
OK, so our sources mentioned this 2011 Kelowna shooting as a
prime example of this kind of constantly changing landscape.
Absolutely. That one was huge.
Tell me about it. So the shooting targeted
Jonathan Bacon of the Red Scorpions and also injured
Hell's Angel Larry Amero. Wow.
And James Riach. He was an independent soldier.
He was unharmed. So you've got Red Scorpions,
Hells Angels, independent soldiers all in one place.
Yeah, it's a tangled web for sure.
It seems like these groups are always like vying for power.
Oh yeah, constantly. Making and breaking alliances as
needed. Exactly.
And often when those alliances shift or someone feels
threatened, yeah, you know, that's when things erupt.
That makes sense. OK, So that gives us some
context for those like overall dynamics, right?
So who are some of the most powerful players in this kind of
evolving gang landscape? Well, the Red Scorpions really
gained notoriety in the 2000s for their brutal tactics and
their involvement in the drug trade.
OK, they were the ones behind the Surrey 6 murders in 2007.
That case was just horrific. Absolutely.
Truly tragic incident that really shook the community.
And then there's the UN game. The United Nations game, Yeah,
another major player known for their sophisticated operations
and those international connections.
The sources describe them as having this like almost
corporate like structure. Yeah, like a legitimate
business, but with much Parker activities.
It's a chilling thought. It is.
It really highlights how adaptable and organized these
groups are. OK, so we've got these
established gangs with all their history and their power, but
what about newer groups trying to make a name for themselves?
Well. One trend we're seeing is the
rise of what are sometimes called Diala dope gangs.
Diala dope gangs. Yeah, they're a bit different.
How so? They're more loosely affiliated.
They don't have that same kind of hierarchical structure.
That sounds pretty straightforward.
It is. It basically describes groups
that operate mainly through cell phones.
OK taking drug orders and delivering them directly to
customers. So less emphasis on controlling
territory and more on like quick transactions.
Yeah, it's a reflection of how the drug trade itself is
changing. Yeah, you know, with technology
playing a bigger and bigger role.
But even with these new models, violence is still a constant.
Sadly, yes, Yeah. Even though these groups might
be less structured, they're often armed, and they're willing
to use violence to protect their interests or to settle disputes.
It's scary how easy it seems to be to get involved in that
world. It's a real concern.
OK, so we've talked about the players and how the nature of
gang activity itself is kind of changing, right?
But what about the reasons behind it all?
That's a big question. I just like, why do people,
especially young people, get involved in these dangerous
lives in the first place? Well, there's no single answer,
OK? There are so many factors that
can contribute and it's often different for each person.
The sources point to things like poverty, like social exclusion,
lack of opportunity as kind of common themes.
Definitely for a lot of young people, especially those from
marginalized communities, gangs offer a sense of belonging,
identity and even, you know, some financial stability that
they just don't see anywhere else.
It's sad how these individuals can be lured into a life of
crime when they feel like they have no other options.
It's a complex issue with deep roots.
And then there's that whole issue of family history and
generational trauma. Oh yeah, absolutely right.
Many people involved in gangs come from families with a
history of, you know, criminal activity or substance abuse.
It creates this cycle that's really hard to break.
It's a tough one. And then, of course, there's
that allure of the gangster lifestyle.
Yeah, the whole glamour and excitement.
Which is often glamorized in movies and music.
Oh definitely. The sources mentioned colors and
boys in the hood as examples. I remember those movies.
There were powerful films, but they also inadvertently
contributed to that romanticization of gang life.
It's a tough balance. It is portraying those stories
realistically without making it seem appealing.
That's the challenge. And then we have to consider the
impact of social media. Oh, huge.
It's become a major tool for gangs to recruit new members and
spread their influence. It's a worrying trend for sure.
How so? Well, these platforms can
provide a distorted sense of validation and community for
young people who are seeking acceptance and gangs are very
good at at exploiting that. That's really disturbing.
It is. It's a new frontier in this
whole fight against gang violence.
OK, so we've got the evolving drug trade, the fentanyl crisis,
the recruitment of young people, social media.
It's a lot to deal with. It is a multifaceted challenge
for sure. So what about the response?
How have law enforcement and the community tackled this issue
over the years? Vancouver has a long history of
specialized units and task forces dedicated to fighting
gang violence. OK, you know, we talked about
the Vancouver Police Gang squad formed in 1986 and the Bar Watch
Association that started in 1995.
Those were important steps, but as the problem changed, so did
the response. So what kind of changes were
made? Well, for example, in 2004, we
saw the creation of the Firearms Interdiction Team or FAT OK, and
also the British Columbia Integrated Gang Task Force.
And those were both formed in the same year.
Yes, they were. Interesting.
They were created to address that escalating violence and the
need for a more coordinated approach.
OK, And then there's the violence suppression team.
The VST. Created in 2007, right?
What was their focus? Well, they were a direct
response to the surge in gang related homicides during those
Vancouver years. So it seems like there's been
this constant effort to adapt and respond to how gang activity
is changing. Oh, absolutely.
It's a dynamic problem that demands a dynamic response.
And it's not just about law enforcement either, right?
You're right, there have been a lot of community based
initiatives focused on prevention, intervention and
rehabilitation. So those programs that aim to
give youth positive those alternatives exactly and maybe
address some of those underlying social and economic disparities.
And also help those who want to leave gang life behind.
So it's this multi pronged approach.
It is. It's about recognizing how
complex this issue is and addressing it from all angles.
And so the idea is not just to catch the bad guys, but to
actually get to the root of the problem.
And offer real ways out. And has it been working?
Well, it's a tough question to answer.
There have definitely been successes, but it's an ongoing
battle. The sources mentioned that gang
related homicides decreased in the years after that gang coover
peak. That's encouraging, but the
numbers can fluctuate and the underlying issues persist.
It's like one step forward, 2 steps back sometimes.
Yeah, but the commitment to tackling this issue remains
strong. That's good to hear.
It is. It's a complex problem that
demands a long term commitment and a lot of collaboration.
So it's not just about arrests and prosecutions.
It's about building trust with communities, gathering
intelligence, encouraging witnesses to come forward, and
creating a sense of shared responsibility.
So a real community effort. Exactly takes a village.
Well said. OK, so we've covered the
evolution of gangs, those key players and some of the
underlying causes and the response from law enforcement
and the community. It's a lot to digest.
It really is, but we're not done yet.
Oh, there's more. There's more.
We'll be right back with the final part of our Vancouver
gang's deep dive. Can't wait.
Welcome back. It's the final part of our deep
dive into Vancouver's gang landscape.
We've gone through so much already.
Yeah, we have from the historical roots of gang
activity to, you know, those really complex factors that
continue to drive involvement. And we've seen how law
enforcement in the community have, you know, tried to respond
and adapt to this ever evolving challenge.
Exactly. So now in this last part, we're
going to explore that path forward, right?
Yeah, and what's next? What are some of the biggest
challenges today And you know, what are some of those potential
solutions that are kind of on the horizon?
The big question. Yeah, OK, so let's dive into
that, right? What are some of the most
pressing concerns facing Vancouver right now when it
comes to gang activity? Well, one of the toughest
challenges, it just has to be the constantly evolving drug
trade. OK.
We talked about those Dial A Dope gangs and how technology is
playing a bigger role. Those new models make it much
harder for, you know, traditional law enforcement
tactics to be effective. It's like a never ending game of
cat and mouse. That's a good way to put it,
yeah. And then you have the whole
issue of fentanyl. Oh yeah, that's been a major
crisis, not just in Vancouver, but really across the country
It. Really has Fentanyl is this
incredibly potent synthetic opioid that's basically flooded
the drug market. And it's incredibly dangerous.
It is, and it's led to a huge spike in overdoses.
And sadly, a lot of those overdoses are happening within
the context of gang activity. So these gangs are basically
profiting from this deadly drug and, you know, putting their own
members in the whole community at risk.
It's a tragic situation for sure.
OK. So we've got the evolving drug
trade, we've got the fentanyl crisis, Yeah.
What other challenges are kind of like top of mind?
Another major concern is the recruitment of young people OK,
especially those from vulnerable communities.
Yeah, we talked about how gangs target people facing poverty,
social exclusion or lack of opportunities.
Right. The kind of offer that, you
know, sense of belonging, a sense of purpose.
But it's a really dangerous path.
It really is. It leads to violence and
exploitation. Yeah, it's heartbreaking how
easily young lives can kind of get derailed.
And then there's the issue of firearms.
Guns. Yeah, it seems like gangs have
no trouble getting their hands on guns.
Yeah, that's a scary thought it. Fuels that cycle of violence.
OK. So we've got all these, you
know, really complex challenges. Are there any potential
solutions out there like what's being done to really tackle this
issue? Well, one promising approach
that's gaining traction is a focus on prevention and early
intervention. OK, so like reaching out to
young people before they even get involved with gangs?
Yeah, exactly. Intervening early on can make a
huge difference. And how do they do that?
Well, there are programs that work with at risk youth
providing mentorship and support and really just opportunities.
OK to see a different path. Giving them a positive
alternative to that gang life. Exactly.
And it's not just about working with individuals, right?
It's about addressing those underlying social and economic
conditions. Yeah, like tackling poverty
exactly. Improving access to education
jobs. Safe Communities.
Creating safer communities, Yeah.
It's really a holistic approach, you know, recognizing that all
these issues are connected. So it's kind of like this
upstream approach. Yeah, trying to prevent the
problem before it even starts. OK.
And then there's still the role of law enforcement.
Right. Continuing to target gang
activity, disrupting those criminal networks, getting those
illegal guns off the streets. Yeah, but it's not just about,
you know, arrests and prosecutions.
No, you're right. It's also about building trust,
OK and relationships with communities.
That's so important. It is you need that trust to
gather intelligence, to encourage witnesses to come
forward and really create that sense of shared responsibility.
OK, so it sounds like a multifaceted approach is key.
It's absolutely. It requires collaboration and
coordination between law enforcement, community
organizations, social workers, educators, families.
It really does take a village. It does.
And I guess we need to remember that there's no quick fix.
No, this is a long term commitment.
Takes ongoing vigilance, adaptation, yeah.
And a willingness to constantly learn and evolve.
OK, so as we wrap up this deep dive, is there a final thought
you want to leave with our listener?
Something for them to ponder as they kind of continue to learn
about this issue. I think it's crucial to remember
that behind the statistics and the headlines, there are real
people, yeah, whose lives have been impacted by gang violence.
The victims, the perpetrators. The families, the communities,
yeah, it's a reminder to approach this issue with empathy
and understanding and compassion.
To see the human side of it. All exactly.
Yeah, we need to seek solutions that address both the symptoms
and those root causes. And never give up hope for a
safer, more just future. For everyone.
Well said. Thank you.
Thank you for joining us on this deep dive into Vancouver's gang
landscape. It's been a, you know, sobering
journey. It has.
Incredibly insightful. Definitely.
And remember, knowledge is power.
It is. The more we understand about
this issue, the better equipped we are to be part of the
solution. Yeah, well said.
Until next time, keep exploring, keep asking questions, and keep
striving for a better world. I like it for everyone.
See you next time. Music.