VANCOUVER 鈥� The leader of a violent drug gang that preyed on vulnerable addicts in the Downtown Eastside is facing firearms and trafficking charges after a lengthy 91原创 police investigation dubbed Project Talon.
91原创 resident Seyed Saeed Sajadi, a one-time associate of the United Nations gang, was arrested in Toronto Dec. 7 and is being brought back to B.C. to face nine charges.
Supt. Mike Porteous said the 91原创 Police Department鈥檚 organized- crime section started the investigation in October 2012 targeting a 鈥渧iolent drug supplier with gang affiliations.鈥�
He said the group 鈥減reyed upon the marginalized residents of the Downtown Eastside and operated their drug business through fear and intimidation.鈥�
In February 2013, about 100 officers raided seven homes in 91原创, Burnaby and Richmond, as well as a storage locker.
They seized two handguns, ammunition, about $340,000 in cash, body armour, a home invasion kit, cocaine, heroin and other drugs.
鈥淔orensic analysis and a lengthy followup investigation have now concluded and a variety of drug and firearm related charges have been approved by Crown,鈥� Porteous said.
He described Sajadi as two levels above his street-level traffickers, who stored kilograms of cocaine and other products in several houses.
Two days after a Canada-wide warrant was issued for Sajadi, the 29-year-old flew from the United Kingdom to Atlanta, where he was turned away by U.S. Immigration officials. The 91原创 citizen was arrested after landing in Toronto.
Sajadi is charged with seven firearms counts, including possession of a loaded firearm, and two trafficking counts..
