VANCOUVER - Vancouver police have made a number of arrests and seized guns in a crack-down on gangsters.

Eight guns, including an AK-47 and a bullet-proof vest were on display at VPD headquarters Friday, as police detailed more charges from Project Rebellion.

Vancouver Chief Constable Jim Chu said "Let's get serious. There is a gang war and it is serious."

Chu said there is a war in southeast Vancouver and the "Sanghera and Buttar group are killing each other for profit and territory."

The leader of the Sanghera group, 58-year-old Udham Singh Sanghera faces seven gun and ammunition charges.

Sanghera lieutenant Gordon Taylor, 42, is facing 12 gun counts. Barjinder Singh (Bobby) Sanghera is charged with eight counts.

From the Buttar-Malli group, leader Tejinder Singh Malli, 24, faces one break and enter charge, as does Bimal Datt Sharma.

Insp. Mike Porteous said the groups are responsible for 100 shootings in southeast Vancouver and some were arrested on their way to kill rivals when police intervened.

Malli's gang has links to the Red Scorpions, of which Abbotsford's Bacon brothers are members.

The Buttar part of the gang is headed by Manjit Singh (Manny) Buttar, a former bodyguard of Bindy Johal whose brother went on to arrange Johal's murder.

Senior officers in the RCMP and Vancouver police department hailed the arrests of de facto United Nations leader Barzan Tilli-Choli, ranking member Karwan Saed and three associates earlier this week as a major blow to gang violence across the Lower Mainland.

From: Vancouver Sun