Abbotsford men facing gun and drug charges
Two Abbotsford men alleged to be involved in the violent Townhill gang conflict are facing new gun and drug charges.
Gagandeep Singh Sandhu, 23, has been charged with unauthorized possession of a prohibited weapon, possession of a firearm knowing its possession is unauthorized, possession of a prohibited weapon with ammunition and possession of a controlled substance.
And Sukhvir Singh Sidhu, 24, is facing a single count of possession of a controlled substance.
The latest charges were approved after officers with the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit were visiting suspects involved in the conflict to ensure they were adhering to bail conditions.
“Upon arrival at a residence in the 3200-block Sisken Drive, the uniform team members discovered marijuana in plain view in an open garage,” Staff Sgt. Lindsey Houghton said in a news release. “While conducting the curfew check, the officers also noticed an assault rifle. The two men in the house were arrested and the residence secured.”
Police found an AR-15-variant semi-automatic rifle, a .40 calibre handgun, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, brass knuckles, and bags of pot, heroin and fake oxycodone.
Abbotsford Police Const. Ian MacDonald said his department “has utilized a variety of measures to suppress violence and to curtail incidents related to the Townline Hill conflict.”
He said Monday that so far 35 people have been charged in connection with the investigation into the conflict.
The conflict is named for the area around Townline Road where two groups involved in the drug trade have been battling since 2014. MacDonald said there have been 38 acts of violence linked to the conflict, including three fatal shootings.