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Vernon death gang related

The discovery of a body on Silver Star Mountain last week has gang connections.

The body of Dustin Rogers, 26, was found March 23 near the intersection of Wilson Jackson Road and Jordashe Road, above the Silver Star foothills area, off Keddleston Road. He was reportedly shot.

Photos on Facebook show Rogers with a large Independent Soldiers tattoo on his torso.

The Independent Soldiers are a B.C.-based criminal gang with mainly Indo-Canadian leadership and alleged links to the Hells Angels.

The gang has a foothold in Vancouver, as well as Kamloops, Kelowna, Chilliwack, Abbotsford and Surrey, according to information on Wikipedia. It is allegedly involved in drug distribution, money laundering and other criminal activities.

An unrelated 2015 bust at a home in Lake Country that was linked to the gang recovered weapons, cocaine, methamphetamine, ecstasy and boxes of clothing bearing the Independent Soldiers logo.

RCMP are saying little about last week's death other than they consider it suspicious.

The Southeast District Major Crimes Unit and BC Coroners Service are investigating the case.



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