The province is seeking to seize more than $20,000 in cash and cheques found among the possessions of a gang leader who died while awaiting trial on charges stemming from a standoff with the North Vancouver RCMP.
On July 23, 2020, the Vancouver Police Department was called to a suite at the Shangri-La on Alberni Street following the sudden death of Dinu Alexendru Tanasescu, according to court documents. At the time, he was out on bail, facing charges of uttering threats and possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose. In January that year, Tanasescu threatened his landlord with a real-looking BB gun and barricaded himself in his basement apartment for five hours before being taken into custody by the RCMP’s Emergency Response Team.
The B.C. Office of Civil Forfeiture, which targets the proceeds of crime, has filed a claim in B.C. Supreme Court seeking $16,720 in cash, plus two $2,000 CERB cheques made out to Tanasescu.
VPD officers also found small amounts of cocaine and methamphetamine packaged in a way consistent with drug dealing and six cellphones, the claim states. Testing of the cash confirmed the presence of fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine.
“Mr. Tanasescu had previous convictions for manslaughter, breaking and entering x2, breaking and entering with intent, possession of stolen property x3, possession of a firearm contrary to an order, breach of a probation order, carrying a concealed weapon, possession of a controlled substance, and unauthorized possession of a firearm. At the time of his death, Mr. Tanasescu was subject to conditions requiring him to remain under 24-7 house arrest at the residence,” the claim states. “Mr. Tanasescu was a known member and leader of an organized crime group known as the Red Scorpions.”
The money and cheques were associated with possession of controlled substances for the purpose of trafficking, making false statements, possession of the proceeds of crime, fraud and failure to declare taxable income, the director of civil forfeiture asserts in the court documents, and if they were to be turned over to his girlfriend, who he was living with at the Shangri-La apartment, they would likely be used for unlawful activity.
Tanasescu’s death was not considered suspicious.
