United Nations (gang)

The United Nations Gang, otherwise known as the UN is a gang based in British Columbia. They have become known for their reputation of extreme violence. Originating out of Chilliwack, Abbotsford, and Vancouver, the group is said to consist primarily of men in their mid twenties and thirties. The UN is believed to be behind much of the string of violent shootings involving gang members and associates throughout greater Vancouver in the past few years. Some have said the UN gang is a puppet gang of the Triad. The UN essentially maintains control of the drug trade in British ColumbiaFact|date=July 2008.

Police have estimated the gang to have 50-100 members in the Lower Mainland area of BC, and they are rumoured to have branches in Mexico and AsiaFact|date=July 2008. As their name suggests, the gang is made of many nationalities, mainly Caucasian, Vietnamese, Chinese and Iranian.

The alleged leader of the United Nations is Clayton RouecheFact|date=July 2008. Roueche grew up in Chilliwack, BC, and later moved out to Abbotsford, BC and then to Vancouver. Roueche had an obsession with martial arts and strong-armed his way onto the drug scene. He forced people to do business with the UN. Roueche himself was known for having a taste for expensive homes and vehicles. Last August, he bought a 13th-floor Coquitlam condo for $443,000Fact|date=July 2008. Then in September, he signed a five-year lease on a 2006 BMW 750ILFact|date=July 2008. In February, he leased a 2006 Maserati QuattroporteFact|date=July 2008.

Roueche was the first ever Caucasian to be initiated into the Triad. This was just after Roueche's marriage to a high-level Triad member's niece. Recently, Roueche was flying to Mexico when he was arrested and the plane was stopped in Texas. During the sting he was arrested for conspiring to possess cocaine, conspiring to export cocaine and conspiring to launder money. If convicted Mr. Roueche faces up to 220 years in prison and 8 million dollars in fines. Arrested in Texas on May 19, Roueche is expected to be flown back to Seattle to answer to the charges. When Roueche was arrested he was wearing official UN insignia jewelry. He is also charged with exporting almost 1000 kilograms of marijuana into the United States. There are currently warrants out for eight other UN gang members and more are expected.

Jong Ca John Lee is believed to have supplied the gang with guns until Vancouver police raided his downtown apartment on June 9, 2007. Lee, who had no criminal record, pleaded guilty in September, 2007 to 10 counts, including possession of a dozen guns, some loaded and some with defaced serial numbers, including automatic and semi-automatic rifles, and almost two dozen magazines of ammunition. Lee also pleaded guilty to possession of 3.5 kilograms of ecstacy (worth $400,000) for the purposes of trafficking, 900 grams of marijuana, a Panther stun gun, a silencer and three stolen Canadian passports obtained through a home invasion. He was sentenced to five years each on two of the weapons charges and two years on each of the other charges, to be served concurrently.

Some say the UN gang was founded as an international gentleman's club. There is official jewelry, hats, t-shirts and pocket knives. Some of clothing simply says, "We don't give a fuck". There exists a rule book with principles that members who are also referred to as "soldiers" are suppose to stand by which are honor, loyalty and respect. Members wear two golden rings on their middle finger to symbolize the "We don't give a fuck attitude" as one band says "UNITED" and the other says "NATIONS". The gang sign for the UN gang is a sideways middle finger. They also have different rings to reward different things. Utilizing the Buddhist system members must first wear a string and then beads upon initiation. UN gang members are known to wear designer hooded sweatshirts (notably "Ed Hardy", "Christian Audigier", and "Affliction" brands) and clothing, fancy jewelry, and often have dragon tattoos. They are involved in the weapons and drug trade and have had clashes with the Hells Angels in recent years. Known UN rival gangs are the Independent Soldiers and Hells Angels.

Originally the gang was primarily fighting with the Hells Angels and even had a famous battle in Abbotsford, BC at the Animals bar. This fight was called "World War Three" as they battled bikers and beat up the police on the way out. Later the Hells Angels became associates and respected their turf and even shared business with them. It is rumoured the reputed leader of the Big Circle Boys gang was taken out by the UN. When United Nations members die they have a special UN tomb stone that features the letters "UN" across it and hold a Buddhist based ceremony over them. On May 8, 2008, former Hells Angels member and UN gang member Duayne Harvey Meyer, 41, nicknamed D.W., was executed and there was funeral held on May 15, 2008. Full patch members of the Hells Angels and UN gang members were at the funeral, with news stations and police agencies on hand to videotape all visitors. Pictures of a UN tombstone and members of the United Nations gang can be found in the "WestCoast News" section of the Vancouver Sun dated June 12, 2008.

A warning was put out at the beginning of June, 2008 against associating with James Kyle Bacon, 22, and his brother Jarrod Wayne Bacon, 25, on account of credible death threats by the UN gang targeting the pair, other family members and associates.

References

*http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20080522/BC_clay_un_080522/20080522/?hub=BritishColumbiaHome
*http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20080523/BC_un_gang_080523/20080523/?hub=BritishColumbiaHome*http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/westcoastnews/story.html?id=544a98e9-45ff-4026-90f9-f817c1ed8756
*http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/westcoastnews/story.html?id=544a98e9-45ff-4026-90f9-f817c1ed8756
*http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20080526/BC_un_roueche_080526/20080526/?hub=BritishColumbiaHome
*http://communities.canada.com/theprovince/blogs/newsroom/archive/2008/05/23/united-nations-gang-leader-from-abbotsford-arrested-in-the-u-s.aspx
*http://www.canada.com/abbotsfordtimes/news/story.html?id=e8e69a5a-161f-4f02-a748-de35bf01bddf
*http://www.ctvbc.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20080513/BC_victim_identified_080513/20080513/?hub=BritishColumbiaHome
*http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=541f6f86-5b44-4fe7-aba8-ccff899cc1b4
*http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=ef603709-dbe2-4931-88c4-8d0488201542&k=52502
*http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2007/08/11/bc-arrests.html
*http://www.abbotsfordtimes.com/issues05/123205/news/123205nn4.html
*http://www.primetimecrime.com/Articles/Media%20Articles/20050930VS.htm
*http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/westcoastnews/story.html?id=b6f6d915-c17e-45eb-b765-e5199f736029
*http://www.abbotsfordtimes.com/issues07/031107/news/031107nn8.html
*http://www.nriinternet.com/NRI_Murdered/CANADA/BC/Gang_Killing/4_BC100205_NRI_Gang_gangs%20gain%20in%20strength.htm
*http://www.cknw.com/news/news_local.cfm?cat=7428654912&rem=72118&red=80165423aPBIny&wids=242&gi=1&gm=news_local.cfm