weapons, violence, drugs: life at the west hotel, where crime group was dismantled by vpd
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three arrests were made and $336,000 in toxic drugs were seized at the west hotel in vancouver earlier this week.
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the owner of the west hotel, a single-room occupancy building meant to provide affordable housing in vancouver’s downtown eastside but has become a hub for drugs, weapons and stolen goods, says the tenants recently arrested during a police raid have returned and appear to be continuing as before.
“we gave police access to our entire building, including keys and a site plan, but these men are already back inside my building and out on the streets,” owner chris wall told postmedia on thursday, expressing frustration over the results of the investigation.
police said earlier this week a criminal network operating out of the west pub and upper floors of the hotel at 488 carrall st., was involved in trafficking fentanyl, crystal meth and stolen merchandise. a six-week probe led to the seizure of $336,000 in toxic drugs, thousands of dollars in stolen goods, and an arsenal of weapons, including machetes, guns and body armour.
drugs and other contraband seized by the vancouver police department during a six week investigation which led to three arrests and $336,000 in toxic drugs from the west hotel in the downtown eastside.
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charges have yet to be laid against the three arrested suspects.
“it’s wonderful that they found all these drugs and cash and weaponry, but there needs to be more active policing. that block has been infiltrated by drug dealers and those carrying out gang-related crime,” wall said.
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“i’ve got tenants in my building who feel unsafe,” added the building owner, who owns several other sros in the neighbourhood.
the suspects in question rented rooms in the hotel after passing criminal record checks for prior drug- or violence-related convictions, said wall. while eviction notices have been served, the owner said the legal process takes time and some tenants have already returned to the building.
vancouver police sgt. steve addison said that the probe began in august following repeated incidents in the carrall and east hastings area, which, along with main and hastings, have some of the city’s highest rates of violent crime.
“the investigation arose out of concerns from people in the community — residents and businesses — about crime, violence, and disorder linked to the west hotel and west pub,” addison said thursday. “we believe there is a nexus between this operation and the illicit market for stolen property that operates in the downtown eastside.”
drugs and other contraband seized by the vancouver police department during a six week investigation which led to three arrests and $336,000 in toxic drugs from the west hotel in the downtown eastside.
nick procaylo
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10109530a
addison confirmed the case exposes a growing vulnerability in the downtown eastside’s aging sro stock — buildings originally designed as last-resort housing but targeted by organized crime.
“our understanding is that rooms in this hotel generally rent for between $400 and $1,000 (per month), so it is truly some of the most affordable housing in the city.”
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more than a century old, the eight-storey west hotel offers 98 units of housing for low-income residents in the downtown eastside. most rely on social assistance, disability benefits or old-age pensions, and about one-third identify as indigenous.
but the building also faces serious challenges.
safety concerns have been persistent. police say the hotel has seen multiple violent incidents in recent years, including an assault causing “very serious” injuries to an individual this past weekend, a fatal stabbing outside in may, and a shooting inside in 2023. so far this year, officers have responded to 168 calls for service inside the building, not including incidents outside that may be connected to it.
a tenant who asked to remain anonymous said residents sometimes feel unsafe living at the west hotel, particularly during social-income cheque week.
“drugs is a problem in our building. so is violence and overdoses,” the resident of five years said thursday.
drugs and other contraband seized by the vancouver police department during a six week investigation which led to three arrests and $336,000 in toxic drugs from the west hotel in the downtown eastside.
nick procaylo
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10109530a
the west hotel has also been the subject of foreclosure proceedings this year, b.c. supreme court records show.
court documents allege the owners of the west hotel and another building on east hastings street defaulted on mortgage loans.
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court affidavits from four longtime tenants describe the single-room occupancy building as being in disrepair. one resident, who has lived there since 1990 on a fixed pension, said that the elevators had been out of service for more than a year, “which makes any moves essentially impossible.”
the city of vancouver said the elevator issue has been ongoing and flagged during multiple annual inspections, most recently in september. a spokesperson added thursday that the matter has been referred to prosecution, with a trial scheduled for nov. 21.
a b.c. supreme court judge this month allowed the petitioners to list the 488 carrall st. property for sale in february.
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