LangleyAdvance
Quilters’ big show pg A19
Your community newspaper since 1931
Friday, May 7, 2010
Your source for local sports, news, weather, and entertainment: www.langleyadvance.com
SELLING LANGLEY ONE YARD AT A TIME
Audited circulation: 41,100 – 48 pages
In today’s special edition, the Langley Advance explores the gang culture in Langley, and what police and other authorities are doing about it.
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It used to be possible in Langley to pretend gangs were someone else’s problem. Since the gang war of 2009, and the police announcement that at least one gang is based here, that is no longer possible. The Langley Advance looks at gangs, their methods and motives, and the impact they have on our community. • Dial-a-dope operations: The street level source of cash for violent drug gangs • Gangs and murder: A rundown of the gang-linked slayings in Langley in 2009 • Undefended border: The cat and mouse game between border guards and gangsters smuggling guns and drugs • Prevention: How Langley police try to keep kids away from the gang lifestyle.
Dial-a-dope gangs’ bottom line “The loyalty is to the money,” said a Langley RCMP officer who investigates drug-dealing gangsters.
their customers find them. A runner makes the quick, hand-to-hand Now, drug dealers pass out numbers, usudeals of drugs for cash or stolen property. ally by word of mouth, and buyers call at Armed with cheap pre-paid cellphones, any time of the day or night. runners often move A meeting is arranged, and the around in cars or on drugs trade hands. bicycles. The danger of The dial-a-dope business has Many are young, wannaby Matthew Claxton being attacked taken a few strange turns over the be gang members. mclaxton@langleyadvance.com by rival gang years, including a phase in which “They take the most risk To understand the gangs that send bullets a group called Dark Alley actually of being arrested, [and] members is flying in Langley in recent years, you have handed out business cards with they take the most risk far worse than to understand their business. their phone numbers. of getting ripped [having “Their whole business revolves around Dark Alley was dismantled and their sale goods and/or the danger of drugs,” said Sgt. Jason Wilde, head of the several of its members served time money stolen by competbeing caught Langley RCMP Drug Section. “Their whole in prison. ing criminals],” Wilde by police. organizations are fuelled by the drug trade.” “We don’t see the business cards said. Gangs control the streettoo often anymore,” Wilde The danger of being level distribution of drugs said. attacked by rival gang Controlling any such as cocaine, heroin, Controlling any piece of turf has members is far worse than the danger of and methamphetamine become difficult for gangs. being caught by police. piece of turf has across the Lower Mainland. “Now you can be in North Rivals will get the phone number, arrange become difficult Wilde sat down with the Vancouver and run Langley,” to meet a runner, then rob, assault, or kidfor gangs. Langley Advance recently to Wilde said. nap them. talk about dial-a-dope operThe street-level trade is hazardDeath is also a possibility. ations, the bread and butter ous, and those at the bottom are in One of the murders of 2009 (see page A3) of gang life. a great deal of danger on a day-to-day basis. was the shooting of Laura Lynn Lamoureux, Before cellphones became ubiquitous, dealAt the bottom rung of the chain are the 36, near Sendall Gardens in Langley City. continued on page A41… ers had to stick to particular spots and let runners.