Independent Soldiers

The Independent Soldiers, otherwise known as the IS, is a street gang in British Columbia, Canada, which has been publicized in the media as being involved in organized crime.[1]

Independent Soldiers
FoundedMid 2000s to present.
Founders:
Founding locationVancouver, British Columbia
Years activeMid 2000s - Present
TerritoryLower Mainland, Kelowna, British Columbia, and Calgary, Alberta
EthnicityVarious
Criminal activitiesDrug trafficking, money laundering, murder
Allies
Rivals

History

The Independent Soldiers are a gang, that was said to have been formed by a group of East Indians from South Vancouver and Metro Vancouver municipalities.[1] They had come together during the 1990s under the name "Sunset Boys"[2] and by 2005, the IS were operating in British Columbia and Alberta, predominantly Kelowna and Calgary, respectively.[1][3][4] The IS was mainly made up of East Indians however over the years they evolved and became more multicultural and accepted other ethnicities in the group which built strength and helped make connections in the communities of Canada.

The Independent Soldiers activities may be social or criminal and members can be seen wearing their colors and logo with the initials IS on them. In the media they have been publicized as being involved in organized crime and engaging in turf wars, murders, shootings and other crimes with rival groups, although the group's main operations and activities are relatively unknown.

Timeline of noteworthy events
  • December 2007 - In Prince George, the leader of the local chapter of the Independent Soldiers was arrested on suspicion of murder following a gang-related shooting in that city.[5]
  • January 2008 - In Surrey, in a gang-related shooting, four victims were members of, or had ties to, the Independent Soldiers.[6]
  • August 2011 - An Independent Soldier member in James Riach was in a vehicle with known Hells Angels and Red Scorpion gang members that had been targeted by rival gangs in a brazen, broad daylight shooting outside the Delta Grand Okanagan Resort hotel in Kelowna.[2][7]
  • 2013 to present - There have been multiple arrests and seizing of property by police of alleged IS members from the Okanagan region of BC and Alberta.

See also

References
  1. "Gangs in BC". Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of British Columbia. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  2. Schwarz, Daniel (19 August 2011). "Notorious gangs of British Columbia". CBC News Online. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  3. "Search warrant turns up organized crime". Bell Media Radio. 14 October 2006. Archived from the original on 2 May 2008. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  4. "SOLDIERS LINKED TO INDO GANGS". Kelowna Daily Courier. Canadian Foundation for Drug Policy. 17 October 2006. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  5. "Cash flies as rival gangs battle it out in B.C. mall". Prince George Citizen. 26 December 2007. Archived from the original on 29 January 2008.
  6. Bolan, Kim (23 January 2008). "Man killed in apparent targeted shooting in Surrey". The Vancouver Sun. Internet Archive. Archived from the original on 24 January 2008. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  7. "RAW VIDEO: Surveillance footage of August 14, 2011, shooting at Kelowna's Delta Grand hotel". Global News Online. 1 May 2018. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
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