DANGEROUS GANG BATTLES AVERTED, POLICE CLAIM

Police say they're trying to put a lid on a new round of violence that
has threatened to erupt between Metro Vancouver gangs.

Tensions have risen in recent weeks in the wake of the high-profile
targeted murder of a suspected gangster in October at a Burnaby mall.

Several men in their late 20s have been arrested since then and
multiple guns seized in connection with four recent incidents,
according to Sgt. Shinder Kirk of the Combined Forces Special
Enforcement Unit.

He said the arrests "have prevented several acts of violence on our
streets that could have placed the public at serious risk."

Among those arrested and facing firearms-related charges are Pedram
Taromi Nejad Shirazi, Christopher Henry Iser, Derek James Stephen,
Christopher Jai Reddy, Robert Joshua Achadinha and Glen Harley Tesuji
Sheck, who is a Surrey resident.

Some of the arrests were made in connection with a Oct. 27 incident at
Kensington Park in Vancouver.

Officers have seized three assault rifles, three semi-automatic
pistols, one loaded hand gun, body armour, night vision goggles,
$20,000 in cash, counterfeit currency and two vehicles outfitted with
hidden compartments.

"We have seen a proliferation of illegal firearms in our communities,
especially in the hands of individuals associated to the gang
environment," Gang Task Force Supt. Tom McCluskie said.

He said gang-suppression efforts of the officers with various special
enforcement teams have prompted four high-profile gangsters to leave
the country and a fifth has left the province.

Ongoing tensions remain and investigators say they're continuing to
pursue suspects who pose a risk to public safety.

SFU criminologist Dr. Rob Gordon said any policing victories that
block a gang violence flare-up are welcome, but are ultimately a stop-
gap measure.

"The underlying issue is still the illegal drug trade," he said. "As
long as that exists we're going to have these bumps and grinds."