JULY 2023 UPDATE: There has been a judicial stay of proceedings against two of the seven accused. Their names have been removed from the story.
THIRTY-EIGHT criminal charges have now been laid against seven accused in a 2018 Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of British Columbia (CFSEU-BC)-led investigation that proactively targeted alleged drug trafficking related to gang activity in the Mission and Abbotsford areas.
In late 2018, CFSEU-BC worked with the Mission RCMP Drug Section and the Abbotsford Police Department in response to intelligence on an alleged drug line connected to the Brothers Keepers gang that was expanding in the Mission and Abbotsford areas. The conflict to control the drug line territory had become violent and a priority for law enforcement.
Over the course of several months of coordinated inter-agency work, investigators were able to gather evidence on the drug line and those associated with it. This resulted in numerous drug seizures and a search warrant on a residence located in the 6400-block of Riverside Street in Abbotsford where additional evidence, including fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, packaging and cutting agents, cash, and other items were discovered and seized. In addition to the fentanyl seized, the even more potent and potentially deadly carfentanyl was discovered and seized.
Through the course of the investigation, the following was seized:
* Fentanyl / carfentanyl / heroin mixture: 540 grams
* Cocaine (crack): 110 grams
* Cocaine (powder): 52 grams
* Methamphetamine: 115 grams
* MDMA: 84 grams
* Phenacetin (buffer/cutting agent): 18 kilograms
* Caffeine (buffer/cutting agent): 1.9 kilograms
A total of 38 charges have now been laid in connection to the investigation against seven people. they include:
- Gregory Joseph Greenlay (28-year-old male) – 2 counts total: charged with 2 counts of trafficking in a controlled substance
- Meredith Christine Kitchen (41-year-old female) – 10 counts total: charged with 10 counts of trafficking in a controlled substance
- Brandon Lyle Osberg (39-year-old male) – 10 counts total: charged with 10 counts of trafficking in a controlled substance
- Terry William Slater (50-year-old male) – 2 counts total: charged with 2 counts of trafficking in a controlled substance
- Jason Roger Bryant (46-year-old male) – 2 counts total: charged with 2 counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking
“The interdiction and prosecution of these individuals would not be possible without the leadership and expertise provided by CFSEU-BC. The Mission RCMP greatly appreciates CFSEU-BC’s ongoing efforts in assisting us to make Mission a safer community,” said Inspector Stephen Corp, Office in Charge of Mission RCMP.
“Policing partnerships are essential to address the gang crime that our communities are facing. The violence and drug activity that fuels gangs does not stop at municipal boundaries,” said Abbotsford Police Department Deputy Chief Constable Brett Crosby-Jones. “This partnership between CFSEU-BC, Mission RCMP and the Abbotsford Police Department represents our combined efforts to keep our communities safe, disrupt gang activity and remove dangerous drugs from our streets.”
“CFSEU-BC and our policing partners in the province have, and will continue to, aggressively target groups like the Brothers Keepers and those who associate with them in order to secure the evidence needed to bring them before the Courts. The disregard for public safety demonstrated by organized criminal groups trafficking potentially deadly opioids and using violence to intimidate rivals and the public will continue to be the focus for CFSEU-BC and our partners,” said Superintendent Duncan Pound, CFSEU-BC Operations Officer. “The Brothers Keepers violent drug activity in 2018 and 2019 made them a top priority and, in addition to charges already announced, more successes are expected to be shared in the months to come.”