Gangland power struggle still gets Kamloops Mounties’ full attention – Kamloops News

Photo: Michael Potestio

An RCMP officer at the scene of a gang-related shooting outside the Ramada Inn on Columbia Street West in May.

Two key players in the local gang war are either in jail or out on bail, but Kamloops’ top cop isn’t ready to say the threat to public safety has abated just yet.

“We still think there’s a risk,” said RCMP Supt. Jeff Pelley Castanet told Kamloops.

He said there were other people involved in the shooting, which police are continuing to investigate.

In May, Pelley warns public of a conflict It was stated that the local illegal drug trade was carried out on the streets of Kamloops and at the center of it were 25-year-old Christopher Hunt and 40-year-old Cameron Ronald Cole. The two were believed to be the main targets of escalating violence linked to the conflict between drug traffickers.

Police warned the public to stay away from the two men and linked a series of fires between March and April and a succession of shootings in the first days of May to gang violence.

Important players taken into account

Speaking to Castanet Kamloops this week, Pelley said the risk remains more than six months later, even though Cole is under strict bail conditions and Hunt is behind bars.

Hunt is serving a four-year federal prison sentence stemming from 2019 robbery, drug possession and firearms charges. He was sentenced in Port Coquitlam provincial court in August.

Cole faces drug trafficking charges Police raid in Batchelor Heights In May 2023. He was going to be a target after the police warned him clearly a failed mob assassination attempt in July. He also faces weapons charges related to weapons police allegedly found in his vehicle following the assassination attempt against him.

Pelley said the drug dealing dispute in Kamloops has police remaining concerned for the safety of the public and Cole and Hunt’s associates, but Mounties have not issued any warnings at this time to avoid others involved in the dispute.

“We are aware of other individuals involved in the conflict that we are currently evaluating and expect charging recommendations against other individuals involved in the local drug conflict to be forwarded soon,” Pelley said.

Cole and Hunt, as well as others involved in the shooting and targeted by police, are either in custody or out on bail, Pelley said, but that doesn’t include all the players.

“There is a fine line in terms of who we say is a partner or a subsidiary,” Pelley said, adding that he could not disclose approximately how many people are believed to be involved.

More fees expected

Pelley said Kamloops RCMP will publicly release charges in connection with the shooting once they are approved by the Crown. He said his officers are investigating several cases related to the matter.

“The drug dispute is linked to multiple investigations that are still ongoing and before the courts,” he said. “We will continue to monitor this conflict and be very diligent on the front lines.”

According to Kamloops RCMP’s 2024 third quarter report, police have achieved successes in suppressing gang violence and disrupting criminal networks, contributing to improving public safety, a top priority.

Pelley said police continue to ask the public to report any suspicious activity they see to the RCMP.

“We have no place in our city for drug trafficking violence or disregard for human life,” he said. “We will do everything we can to keep our streets safe and seek support and cooperation from the public.”

Photo: RCMP

(Left) Justin Hunt, 25, and Cameron Cole, 40, are at the center of a local drug dealing dispute, according to police. Hunt is currently behind bars, while Cole faces charges and is free on bail.