GANG WAR PLAGUES CRANBROOK

A high level RCMP news conference in Cranbrook Wednesday revealed that
a feud between two factions of organized crime in the city is likely
behind four arrests in a complex murder conspiracy case that landed in
court this week.

The feud is also likely behind a late evening shooting that occurred
in front of the Sam Steele Hotel Oct. 29, 2009 and may even be linked
to the gunshot murder of a Mayook couple in May 2010.

"Organized crime is insidious and has no rules, morals, ethics or
loyalty. No community is immune, either from the presence of organized
crime or the violence that it perpetrates," said Sgt. Shinder Kirk of
the RCMP Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit in Kelowna (CFSEU).

The unit took the lead in the investigation that led to charges of
conspiracy to commit murder and three other related offences against
Lonnie James Adams, 33, Colin Raymond Correia, 33, Lorne William
Murray Carry, 28 and Chad Everett Munroe, 33.

All four accused are now in custody and awaiting further court
appearances. Kirk said the four are known drug traffickers in the
Cranbrook area and there was high potential for violence in the
investigation. An AK-47 automatic weapon was seized from a Cranbrook
residence early in the investigation.

"These arrests and the seizure of several weapons will go a long way
to reduce the threat to the public and police officers alike," said
Kirk.

The internecine nature of the various crimes now being investigated by
the police can be seen by the fact that one of the four, Munroe, was
the person shot during the Sam Steele shooting, And one of the
assailants charged in connection with the Same Steele shooting, Doug
Mahon, may have been living in the Mayook cabin prior to the double
murder that took the lives of Leanne MacFarlane, 43, and Jeffrey
Taylor who had been living in the rental property for three months.

"During the course of this investigation, two innocent victims lost
their lives. While we can't speculate on the motive behind that
tragedy, the intended victim, a 39 year old Cranbrook man, was once an
occupant of the home," said Kirk.

It's believed the double murder has significant links to organized
crime groups and gangs in southern B.C. and Alberta as well to an
outlaw motorcycle group in metro Vancouver, he said

Cpl. Jason Smart of the Kelowna Major Section said the Mayook
investigation is continuing and police are appealing for help from the
public. Anyone with any information about the case is asked to call
(250) 417-4232 or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Cranbrook Mayor Scott Manjak joined the police at the news conference
and thanked them for the work they were doing to ensure the safety of
the city's residents. "Organized crime is not specific to the Lower
Mainland," said the mayor.

Inspector Brian Edmondson, officer in command of the Cranbrook and
Kimberley detachments, also attended the news conference and issued a
warning to the criminal gangs operating in Cranbrook.

"This type of activity is unacceptable in our community. I have not
only committed resources from the Cranbrook detachment, but can also
draw on the combined resources from across the province. This is a
message to those that engage in crime that not only do they have to be
concerned about their rivals, but also the united efforts of law
enforcement."

Pat Fogarty, CFSEU Operations Officer, said there are at least 120
criminal drug gangs operating in the province so it's not surprising
that some are operating in Cranbrook.

"The issue of gangs and organized crime is not just an urban problem
that you see in places like Metro Vancouver. These groups attempt to
gain control of the lucrative drug market no matter where that market
may be."

Local RCMP Corp. Chris Faulkner said many Cranbrook residents don't
realize the extent of the drug scene in the city and the nature of the
people involved. Cocaine is often the drug of choice and consumers
include street people, but regular citizens as well not usually
thought of as being part of the drug scene, he said.

"That's why we have drug addiction centres. That's why we have first
response units at hospitals and treatment centres to pick up these
people as their lives deteriorate and they're left behind. They're
ordinary people that we live beside, work beside and go to hockey
games. All these people may be consumers to some degree.

"I can assure you through the intelligence we receive and the
observations we make on surveillance we do on some of the players that
we do see Joe Ordinary Cranbrook citizens as consumers."