Brandon Nandan, 28, of Surrey has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to eight drug trafficking and weapons-related charges Wednesday afternoon in Vancouver provincial court.
His sentence works out to 12 years and 358 days as he’s already been in custody for two years and seven days.
Nandan had originally been charged with 17 crimes following an investigation led by the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of B.C. (CFSEU-BC) that targeted an alleged drug trafficking network and an alleged conspiracy to commit murder. Officers from the Surrey RCMP and Burnaby RCMP also participated in the investigation, as well as the emergency response team (ERT), with searches resulting in the seizure of a kilogram apiece of fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine, several firearms, two firearms suppressors and various weapons both prohibited and not prohibited.
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Nandan was originally charged on March 18, 2021 with conspiracy to commit murder with a firearm, counsel to commit murder with a firearm, possession of a loaded and restricted firearm, possession of a firearm where prohibited, two counts of possession of a prohibited device, possession of a prohibited firearm, unauthorized possession of a firearm, conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, two counts of possession of methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking, possession of fentanyl and cartfentanil for the purpose of trafficking, two counts of possession of fentanyl for the purpose of trafficking and possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. On May 25 he was also charged with production of a controlled substance.
What he pleaded guilty to on Wednesday (July 20, 2022) was trafficking in fentanyl, two counts of possession of fentanyl for the purpose of trafficking, possession of a loaded 9mm-calibre Beretta model 92FS semi-automatic pistol, counselling to commit the indictable offence of discharging a firearm with intent to endanger life which offence was not committed, transferring a 9mm-calibre CZ model TT9 semi-automatic pistol, possession of a Polymer80 PF940C 9mm pistol, and possession of fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking.
Staff Sgt. Lindsey Houghton, of CFSEU-BC, said the other charges were stayed. “They just get dropped during the Crown process.”
Supt. Duncan Pound, CFSEU-BC’s deputy operations officer, said his agency “proactively targets individuals linked to violent gang activities and opioid trafficking that too often victimizes the most vulnerable in our communities.
“Working with the Surrey RCMP and Burnaby RCMP,” Pound added, “CFSEU-BC investigators were able to thwart a murder plot, disrupt other violent acts that would have endangered innocent lives, and prevent additional opioid-related deaths.”
tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
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