A specialized BC RCMP unit has successfully dismantled a Nanaimo-based dark web drug trafficking ring. (Dreamstime)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

MAJOR OPERATION

Nanaimo men facing 30 drug charges after extensive dark web & cryptocurrency investigation

May 31, 2022 | 9:35 AM

NANAIMO — A three-year investigation in connection to an extensive drug trafficking network linked to homes in Nanaimo resulted in over two dozen charges laid.

The charges against three men were laid after BC RCMP’s Federal Serious and Organized Crime unit probed an international crime group, operating on the dark web, named “AlwaysOverweight”.

Cpl. Arash Seyed told NanaimoNewsNOW investigators are constantly dealing with new tricks and techniques by drug dealers and traffickers, both in the real world and online. They suspected the group to be connected to the drug trade on Vancouver Island, specifically in Nanaimo.

“This was an ongoing investigation that was initiated in 2019 that was related to a number of other investigations. It’s kind of how some of these issues come to our attention and they may be linked to ongoing separate investigations…they might be tied to things other agencies are doing.”

Police says AlwaysOverweight used cryptocurrency and different messaging apps to anonymously move a large variety of drugs.

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“For example methamphetamine, oxycodone, cocaine, MDMA… Xanax and what was being advertised as heroin turned out to be a very deadly opioid which was a fentanyl mix,” Seyed added.

Use of the dark web in addition to crypto and encrypted messaging applications made the group difficult to identify.

An undercover online investigation eventually transitioned into the real world when investigators identified a Nanaimo address as the vendor’s actual location.

Search warrants were conducted on a pair of Nanaimo homes in February 2020 after police identified Kien Trung Pham, Kerry Chang and Gordon Brooks as suspects.

A large variety of drugs and trafficking materials such as stationary, cash and computers were all confiscated.

The trio were arrested and face an extensive list of charges.

Pham will answer to 11 counts of trafficking a controlled substance, four counts of possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking.

His history with police includes multiple driving-related offences as well as drug and firearm charges in 2018.

Brooks faces seven charges of trafficking a controlled substance and another seven counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking.

He has an extensive criminal record dating back to 2003 involving charges of theft, drug possession for the purpose of trafficking and failing to appear for court dates.

Chang faces just a single charge of trafficking a controlled substance. His criminal record also dates back to the early 2000’s with convictions for stolen property, theft, breaching sentencing orders and drug possession.

He is also the father of murdered Nanaimo teenager Makayla Chang.

All three are due to appear in court on June 7.

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