Richmond homicide victims, brothers Chaten and Joban Dhindsa, were connected to gang conflict

THEIR parents are wealthy and known as very decent people in the South Asian community.

So when the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) on Saturday identified Friday’s Richmond homicide victims as brothers Chaten Dhindsa, 25, and Joban Dhindsa, 23, of Richmond, it set off discussions about why the brothers – the only children of the Dhindsas – chose to go down the wrong path.

Both the brothers were known to police, but the one with a criminal record – and who had figured twice in the news for all the wrong reasons in 2015 and 2016 – was Chaten Dhindsa.

The brothers were living in Surrey at the time, apparently with their parents, but later moved to Richmond.

“This is believed to be a targeted incident related to the victims’ involvement in the ongoing Lower Mainland Gang Conflict,” said Detective Lara Jansen of IHIT. “We are urging anyone with information to contact IHIT.”

On March 19 at 4:45 a.m., Richmond RCMP frontline officers responded to the 22000-block of Rathburn Drive to assist with a structure fire.  Once the fire was extinguished, two deceased individuals were located inside the residence.  The injuries sustained by the victims were consistent with a homicide and IHIT assumed conduct of the file.

IHIT has been working closely with the Richmond RCMP, Integrated Forensic Identification Services and the BC Coroner’s Service to gather evidence.

On Friday, investigators determined that a burned black BMW SUV reported shortly after the homicide near 16 Avenue and 194 Street in Surrey is believed to be associated to the homicide.

IHIT asked anyone with CCTV, dash cam video or information related to the homicide or the burned BMW SUV to contact IHIT.

As reported in The VOICE back then, in February 2016, Chaten Dhindsa and two other South Asians were charged in the ongoing drug war after the CFSEU-BC, the Surrey RCMP Drug Section, and the Delta Police Department began an investigation into a dial-a-dope drug line in April 2015.

The VOICE reported: “In April 2015, the CFSEU-BC, the Surrey RCMP Drug Section, and the Delta PD began an investigation into a dial-a-dope drug line associated to individuals involved in the Surrey / Delta drug conflict. As a result of a three-month investigation, two search warrants were executed on residences in Surrey. A search of both residences resulted in the seizure of the following items: 21.46 grams of cocaine, 4.79 grams of heroin, 0.3 grams of crystal methamphetamine, $7085.00 in Canadian currency and seven vehicles used in drug trafficking

“Crown Counsel has now approved 18 charges for the three men identified in the investigation.”

One of them was Chaten Dhindsa, then 20, who was charged with 10 counts of trafficking and one count of possession for the purpose of trafficking.

Dhindsa was charged with 10 counts of trafficking and one count of possession for the purpose of trafficking.

Also, Chaten Dhindsa and five other South Asians were arrested and charged in connection with a December 5 incident in 2015 in which a man who was well known to police was assaulted, threatened and held against his will near 86 Avenue and 130 Street in Surrey. Dhindsa was charged with forcible confinement, robbery, assault with a weapon and assault causing bodily harm. He ended up pleading guilty to assault causing bodily harm. In July 2018 he was sentenced to 229 days in jail.

He was charged with eight counts of “possession for the purpose of trafficking” in a Langley case of April 2019 and was to be sentenced in Surrey Provincial Court on April 13, 2021, according to the online court registry.

You can call the IHIT information line at 1-877-551-IHIT (4448) or email IHIT at ihitinfo@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.

Should you wish to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).