Police see rise in extortion cases targeting Indo-Canadian businesses

The wave of extortion attempts targeting Indo-Canadian businesses has moved beyond the Greater Toronto Area and the Metro Vancouver region and into the province of Alberta as well, with police there investigating at least 18 such investigations that have occurred since October last year.

The suspects have also been known to make follow-up demands for higher sums of money, leading to an escalation of violence and drive-by shootings.

While shootings at businesses and residences have been reported elsewhere, including most recently at the home of the son of the president of the Lakshmi Narayan Mandir in Surrey, British Columbia on December 27, Edmonton Police Service (EPS), in a release on Thursday, also pointed to a series of arson attempts.

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“Failure to pay the extorted sum results in arson or other property damage to new home builds, show homes and related property. The suspects have also been known to make follow-up demands for higher sums of money, leading to an escalation of violence and drive-by shootings. No injuries have been reported as a result of shooting incidents,” the release said.

“The arsons are typically committed by a group of young adults and youth observed carrying jerry cans,” it added and released a CCTV image of a young suspect allegedly involved in a December 29 incident of arson.’

Police also said six persons have been arrested so far in this connection “for shooting and arson incidents that have been connected to the extortion series”. They include 20-year-old Parminder Singh, who faces 12 firearms-related charges connected to an October 19 shooting at a residence in the city. He remains in custody. Others were identified as Hassan Dembil, 18, Manav Heer, 18, Ravinder Sandu, 19, who were charged with arson-related offences linked to a December 19 residential fire. They have since been released. Also arrested and then release was Arjun Sahnan, 19, who faces five firearms-related charges.

This follows the shot fired at the residence of the son of Satish Kumar, president of Lakshmi Narayan Mandir in the town of Surrey last Thursday. Kumar told the Hindustan Times at the time he believed the incident may have been related to an extortion attempt.

On December 22, Peel Regional Police (PRP) announced it was setting up a task force to investigate a “disturbing trend of extortion attempts” in the GTA. On December 9, PRP arrested 23-year-old Tanmanjot Gill, resident of Abbotsford in British Columbia, “for discharging a gun and firing multiple rounds at a business” in the town of Brampton in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Officers are looking for a second suspect, described as a South Asian male of medium build.

Abbotsford Police’s Major Crime Unit is investigating cases involving residents and businesses, a release on December 7 said. Earlier, on November 23, the department said it became “aware of multiple businesses receiving the same letter requesting they pay money in exchange for protection from future violence. The letter cites recent reported events in Abbotsford, yet no connection has been confirmed.”

The letter, according to community members, threatened businesses to pay up or get a “bullet”, adding they could be targeted even in India as, it said, “we have links all over.”

On November 23, the Surrey detachment of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) also stated it had “become aware of extortions targeting business owners throughout the Lower Mainland and is encouraging anyone who may be a victim to call police.”

These extortion attempts have underscored concerns over transnational gangs, with links to India, operating in Canada. The outlet Global News reported last month, citing an internal Abbotsford Police memo, that the suspects could be linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. Its main figure in Canada, Satinderjeet Singh, better known as Goldy Brar, believed to be based in Brampton, had claimed credit for the killing of Punjabi entertainer-turned-politician Sidhu Moose Wala in May 2022. The Indian Government declared Brar a terrorist this year.