Pubdate: Wed, 28 Nov 2012
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 Postmedia Network Inc.
Contact: http://www2.canada.com/theprovince/letters.html
Website: http://www.theprovince.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476
Author: Ian Austin
Page: A6

'WE WILL NEVER SEE AN END TO THIS'

Burnaby: Killing of Sukh Dhak and his bodyguard unlikely to stop 
violence, expert says

The brazen daylight murder of Sukh Dhak and his bodyguard, Thomas 
Mantel, will lead to further power struggles in B.C.'s lucrative gang 
business, predicts a gang expert and author.

"The public shouldn't mistake this gangland murder of Sukh Dhak as 
the end of this gang war," said Ranj Dhaliwal, the author of Daaku: 
The Gangster's Life. "Until we do something about the demand for hard 
drugs like cocaine and crack, we will never see an end to this."

Dhaliwal said that with the death of Dhak, top spot in the so-called 
Dhak-Duhre gang is up for grabs.

"Gangs such as what Dhak had are large and there is always someone 
ready to fill that void in leadership and continue to fight over 
turf," said Dhaliwal. "Everybody wants to be the top dog - that's why 
they call them gangsters, not gang leaders."

Dhaliwal hopes that impressionable young people will stand up and 
take notice before they get lured into a life of crime by realizing 
that the much-hyped gangster lifestyle often ends in death.

"I think that at-risk youth started believing that Sukh Dhak was 
invincible just like in the days of Bindy Johal," he said. "This 
should be a strong message to our youth that the gang life will one 
day take your life if you choose that path."

The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team confirmed Tuesday that 
Dhak, 28, and Mantel, 30, were the victims of the Monday morning 
shooting at the Executive Hotel and Conference Centre in Burnaby.

The twin shootings are just the latest chapter in a seemingly endless 
cycle of violence, as gangsters competing for the huge payoffs 
available in B.C.'s lucrative drug trade target the competition.

Dhak's brother Gurmit was an earlier homicide victim, gunned down 
outside Metrotown in Burnaby during another troubling daylight 
executionstyle hit in October 2010.

Anyone with information is asked to phone the IHIT tip line at 
1-877-551-IHIT (4448) or to email Alternatively, those wishing to remain anonymous can phone Crime 
Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or visit the Crime Stoppers' website at 
solvecrime.ca.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom