'Cheezy' brother of slain gang boss 'now leader of Phoenix Bloods'

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Durban - Kevin Periasamy, aka Cheezy, who faces drug possession charges and is out on bail has assumed leadership of the so-called Phoenix street gang, the Bloods - several police and underworld sources have told the Daily News. His brother Kalvin,30, was killed in the parking lot of the Gateway shopping mall in uMhlanga a week ago. He was shot in the head and neck at close range by an unknown gunman. Both Kevin and Kalvin were released on bail of R10 000 in February. Since his release, Kevin has been keeping a low profile.

Kevin will stand trial in July after police recovered over R80 000 worth of drugs at their home in Sunford, Phoenix.

At his brothers funeral, he kept out of sight and warned family and friends not to call him by his street name Cheezy - in case hitmen was lurking in the crowd.

Kevin Periasamy, in red, visited the scene where his brother was shot dead at the Gateway Shopping Mall parking lot. Picture: Motshwari Mofokeng/African News Agency(ANA).

Sources, who did not want to be named either because they are not permitted to talk to the media or who are too scared to go on the record, told the Daily News that Kevin fears for his life.

His family even went as far as to pretend he was still awaiting trial and was in Westville prison.

At the funeral, a family member read out a letter stating that Kevin wrote it to his brother from his prison cell.

It said: “ To my dearest brother, my baby. I can’t believe I have to say goodbye to you today. No words can describe the pain I feel. If I could turn back the hands of time, you would still be here.

Kevin was allegedly seen at the Gateway Shopping Mall mourning with other family members. A high-ranking police member and neighbours of Kevin have confirmed to the Daily News that he was indeed out of prison.

During a raid at Kevin's home police recovered two pistols, a shotgun, 64 live rounds of ammunition, 1 836 heroin caps, 138 heroin straws, 80 large crack cocaine pieces, 30 Mandrax tablets, three bags of cocaine, ecstasy and dagga was recovered.

A sum of R97 000, suspected to be the proceeds from drugs, was also confiscated.

Kevin has one minibus taxi with the word Bloods written on it. His employees then tattooed themselves with the word Bloods.

According to the Post newspaper, threatening voice notes were circulating warning certain tow truck operators to watch their backs. The speaker on the voice note alluded to a revenge attack.

A source told the Post that the gang was allegedly mobilising support to seek revenge for Kalvin's death.

The Periasamy family believe that police had a vendetta against them and that Kalvin had never been faced drug-related charges neither was he a drug lord or head of the Bloods gang.

Kalvin had mini-bus taxis, tow trucks, a pawn shop and security company.

Daily News