Metro Vancouver Crime Stoppers highlights top five most wanted suspects this Halloween

Metro Vancouver Crime Stoppers has released its annual list of British Columbia’s five most wanted criminals, calling on the public to help locate them as Halloween approaches. The announcement was made Tuesday at Cougar Creek’s House of Horrors in Surrey, where officials urged residents to share any information that could lead to arrests.

The list includes Omid Mashinchi, 43, and Gurkirat Singh, 26, who also appear on BOLO Canada’s national 25 Most Wanted list. Other fugitives include Amir Navarchi, 40, John Norman MacKenzie, 64, and Jean-Sébastien Philippe Eric Ferland, 43.

Mashinchi and Navarchi were previously arrested during “Project Torque,” a three-year police investigation into a large-scale Vancouver-based drug network. The operation led to the seizure of more than 200 kilograms of illicit drugs, seven firearms, and about $500,000 in cash and jewelry. Both men vanished after being released on bail and remain at large.

Metro Vancouver Crime Stoppers Executive Director Linda Annis said public tips remain one of the most effective tools in locating fugitives. “Someone, somewhere knows where these criminals are,” she said. “Halloween is already scary enough without dangerous criminals on the loose.”

Annis reminded residents that all tips to Crime Stoppers are anonymous and may qualify for a reward of up to $5,000. The organization receives about 5,000 anonymous tips each year for crimes ranging from gang activity to weapons offences.