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RCMP Media Release - Aug. 13, 2003 Vancouver – A two-year integrated police investigation into organized crime on the Lower Mainland has resulted in charges against 11 men in Vancouver, Kelowna, and Winnipeg. One of the charges is the first laid in British Columbia under new federal law dealing with organized crime. The charges, laid July 31st, August 6th and August 7th, all relate to alleged drug trafficking with one charge related to illegal possession of a high-powered handgun. In several cases those charged have apparent connections to criminal motorcycle gangs operating throughout the Lower Mainland. Charged with Instructing the Commission of Offences such as trafficking in heroin and cocaine for a Criminal Organization Anthony Terazakis, 43, of Vancouver. Sean Casselman, 30, and Gus Lioudakis, 61, both of Vancouver, and Andrew Goosen,19, of Abbotsford are charged with conspiring together to traffic in cocaine and heroin. The indictment against Terazakis states that he, Casselman, Lioudakis, Goosen and others are part of a criminal organization. Casselman is also charged with possession of an unlicenced restricted weapon – a .357 magnum revolver. The charges against Terazakis, Casselman, and Lioudakis involve alleged drug trafficking activity centered at the American Hotel in Vancouver’s Eastside. Also charged with conspiring together to traffick in cocaine are Aviv Ciulla, 32 and Jairo Castenada, 39 of Vancouver. The charges relate to the 1995 seizure of 305 kilograms of cocaine from a vehicle in the Fraser Valley and a home in East Vancouver. Ciulla and Castenada are also charged with Salvatore Ciancio, 40, of Vancouver with conspiring to traffic in cocaine. Ciancio is currently detained and awaiting trial in the December 1995 Burnaby murders of Eugene and Michelle Uyeyama. Drug trafficking and conspiracy charges have also been laid against Michael Anthony Ovsenek, 37 and Sydney Dallas, 44 of Vancouver, Brent Anthony Licht, 36 of Kelowna, and Scott Andrew Rosza, 32, of Winnipeg. Ovsenek was recently convicted of contempt of court and sentenced to 90 days following his refusal to be sworn as a defence witness at the trial of Dallas who was convicted of cocaine conspiracy charges and sentenced to 12 years in prison. Licht is facing serious drug charges in the United States but was recently successful in resisting an application to have him extradited to face these charges. With the current charges police from the Vancouver Police Department, the Abbotsford City Police, the Organized Crime Association of BC, and the RCMP combined their resources in an integrated approach to fighting organized crime. This networked approach to policing allowed for a highly efficient undermining of the networked structure used by organized crime elements. The joint forces project was also successful in the past for investigations that led to seven counts of murder being brought against Robert Bruce Moyes who pleaded guilty to the Abbotsford murders of Raymond and Sonto Graves, Daryl and Theresa Klassen, and David Sangha as well as the Burnaby murders of Eugene and Michelle Uyeyama in 1995. Mark Therrien still remains before the courts on the five Abbotsford murders. Over the past several years police throughout the Lower Mainland have significantly increased their focus on certain criminal motorcycle gangs that are considered to be connected to acts to extreme violence, extortion, money laundering, and murder all connected to the drug trade. Various investigations by a specialized, integrated unit of police have surfaced numerous examples of criminals operating what appear to be a wide range of small businesses not on the surface associated with organized crime. Gary Bass, Assistant Commissioner of the RCMP in BC and head of Criminal Operations for the region said the latest success by police reflects the top priority being afforded to fighting organized crime and the strong benefit of recent federal changes to organized crime legislation. In January of 2002 Bill C-24 came into effect giving both police and prosecutors tough new powers to deal with organized crime. Under the new legislation three new offences were added under the organized crime category, far stronger sentences for criminals was introduced, and much stronger protection for witnesses and jurors was introduced. For example in Quebec, police have been very successful in having charges laid against what are termed "enhancers" of organized crime activity – individuals not directly involved in organized crime but who provide services or products like leased automobiles to known organized crime elements. In addition those with an indirect participation in organized crime and those offering direction or instructions related to organized crime are facing far more severe penalties. RCMP Inspector Bob Paulson, the Major Case Manager in the latest round of charges, said the new legislation is assisting police on a number of important fronts including giving informants far greater comfort in approaching police with valuable information. "Criminal groups in general are not organized along lines of mutual trust. Criminal groups rely upon intimidation and fear to stay organized. What we are finding is that our new approach to fighting organized crime combined with the new legislation is taking away some of the fear factor and helping to unglue the nature of organized crime," he said. Both Bass and Paulson said they are looking forward to the criminal justice system, specifically the prosecution process, also operating in a well-resourced, specialized, integrated fashion that places a very strong priority on fighting organized crime through use of the new federal legislation. |
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RCMP Media Release - Aug. 27, 2003 Two counts of first degree murder have been laid against Peter Wah Keux CHEE , 37 years old, of Vancouver B.C. and Michael Anthony SAMARDZICH, 44 years old, of Aldergrove, B.C. The Attorney General of B.C. is proceeding by way of direct indictment. The arrests are as a result of a two year joint forces investigation into organized crime in B.C. named Project ECRU. The charges are in relation to the murders of Eugene and Michelle UYEYAMA who were found murdered in their Burnaby residence in December of 1995. Salvatore CIANCIO is presently charged with two counts of first degree murder and is in custody awaiting trial in relation to the UYEYAMA homicides. In October of 2002 Robert MOYES pleaded guilty to seven counts of first degree murder, two of which were in relation to the UYEYAMA homicides. MOYES was sentenced to life in prison with no eligibility of parole for twenty five years. |
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RCMP Media Release - Sept. 5, 2003 Two persons have been charged with Conspiracy to Import 12 kilograms of Cocaine into Canada contrary to section 465(1) of the Criminal Code of Canada. Charged are Allan Christopher LEES,27, of Surrey and Roberto Salvatore CIANCIO, 40, of Coquitlam. The charges stem from a United States Custom Service and San Juan Sheriffs Department seizure of 12 kilograms of cocaine on Orcas Island, Washington State, on October 25, 2001. CIANCIO is presently in custody and awaiting trial on two counts of First degree Murder and Conspiracy to Traffic in Cocaine. The charges are as a result of a two year joint forces investigation into Organized Crime in B.C. named Project ECRU. To date the Project ECRU investigation has resulted 20 persons being charged. A total of 68 charges have been laid for various Criminal Code and Drug related offences in British Columbia. |
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RCMP Media Release - April 19, 2004 Project ECRU is a joint forces investigation which targeted Organized Crime in the province of British Columbia. The scope of the project included 7 homicides, extortions and the manufacture and distribution of illicit drugs in B.C. The investigation remains active and ongoing and therefore police are unable to discuss many of the details surrounding the case. However, during the course of the investigation a number of persons were identified as possible victims of assault, assault with a weapon and forcible confinement.
In order to further the investigation police are requesting the public’s assistance in identifying nine individuals shown in the attached photographs uncovered during the course of the investigation. The photographs are available below as Images 1 - 9. |
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VANCOUVER - Roberto Salvatore Ciancio has skated again - the fourth time in the past four years he's managed to escape conviction. A cocaine conspiracy charge against the Vancouver man was stayed after two trials ended in hung juries, a rarity. One of those trials involved two counts of first-degree murder. (Vancouver Province) |
