Latest news with #SouthAsianCommunity
CTV News
17 hours ago
- CTV News
Shots fired at Surrey business
Vancouver Watch Police haven't ruled out the possibility shots fired at a business in Surrey are linked to ongoing extortion threats targeting the South Asian community.
CTV News
4 days ago
- CTV News
Calls for action on Surrey extortion threats
Vancouver Watch Surrey's mayor is calling threats against South Asian businesses a form of 'economic terrorism' as the community calls on police to do more to keep people safe.
National Post
4 days ago
- National Post
Violent extortion gang linked to Ontario towing turf war; many were on judicial release for other charges when arrested
Another large police probe in southern Ontario was linked to the tow truck industry, this time a large criminal network accused of extortion, fraud, and violence. Article content Peel Regional Police said more than $4.2 million in assets were seized and 18 people were arrested, including two men alleged to be the bosses behind a network involved in two streams of criminality: one dedicated to extortion and violence, and the other to systematic fraud through staged car collisions rooted in the towing industry. Article content Article content Article content Of the 18 charged, almost half were already on a form of judicial release for previous charges at the time of their arrest. Article content Article content Since their most recent arrest, three of the 18 were quickly released with an order to attend court at a later date. Of the 15 who were held in police custody pending a court appearance, seven have had that hearing, where all but one was released on bail. The remainder await a court hearing. Article content In 2023 a wave of violent extortions — demands for large sums of money accompanied by threats of violence — targeted members of the South Asian business community in Peel, west and northwest of Toronto encompassing the cities of Mississauga and Brampton. Article content 'These threats escalated into a variety of different offences including drive-by shootings, arson, a variety of acts of violence that spread fear and insecurity, not just into our local community but it gripped international news,' said Peel's Chief of Police Nishan Duraiappah. Article content Article content Patrick Brown, mayor of Brampton, said the extortions and violence terrified his community. Article content Article content 'Everyone was scared. They heard about these incidents and there was a real concern that we were only hearing the tip of the iceberg, that there's more and more of these very dangerous extortions happening.' Article content Article content The police response led to a task force formed last summer that led to a large probe named Project Outsource. Article content The investigation pointed to two Brampton men who are now under arrested. Investigators allege Inderjit Dhami, 38, and Paritosh Chopra, 32, were at the top of the criminal organization's hierarchy. Article content 'They are charged with instructing the commission of an offense for a criminal organization,' said Peel's Deputy Chief Nick Milinovich. 'What that means is they were in charge of this organization and providing direction to others that were a part of it,' he alleged. 'This was a crime group who attempted to extort hundreds of thousands of dollars from our community with threats and also engaged in tow industry related violence and crimes like fraud.'
CTV News
7 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Surrey police launch extortion task force
Vancouver Watch There is growing tension in Surrey's South Asian business community after a man was fatally shot in his store earlier this week.
CBC
7 days ago
- CBC
Surrey, B.C., police launch team to counter extortions in South Asian community
Social Sharing A series of reports of extortion from people and businesses in the South Asian community have prompted a wider investigation by police in Surrey, B.C. The Surrey Police Service said in a statement that it is working with provincial and national RCMP to help in their investigations, as numerous Canadian police agencies have reported similar crimes. Police said they've had 10 complaints over the last six months of people getting letters, phone calls or social media messages demanding money under threats of violence. The service said it has launched its own extortion investigations team and will be attending a public safety forum on Sunday in the city organized by members of the South Asian community. It's to be held at Reflections banquet hall on 152A Street at 2 p.m. Forum organizer Satish Kumar, the president of the city's Lakshmi Narayan Mandir temple, is also announcing a $100,000 reward to encourage the community to help bring an end to the extortion and violence. WATCH | Surrey police investigating after shootings targeted at businesses: Surrey police investigating possible extortion attempt after shootings targeted at businesses 2 days ago Duration 2:09 Police in Surrey say they are investigating whether two shootings targeting businesses in the city are linked to possible extortion attempts. As Sohrab Sandhu reports, it comes just months after several incidents across the country, which led to the formation of a national RCMP task force. "I'm requesting the community [to] come forward," he told CBC News. "Don't be scared of these guys, right? They don't want to kill you. They want only money from you guys." Kumar said two recent shootings at his businesses are connected to ongoing extortion attempts targeting the South Asian community. He said he received video voicemails on May 28 from numbers listed as being from Italy and New Zealand that demanded $2 million. He said he refused to pay and reported it to police at the time, but officials took no action. In the early hours of June 7, shots were fired at Reflections banquet hall, which he owns, he said. Shots were fired, he said, at another business he's connected to, Hub Insurance, on Tuesday. No one was injured in the shootings at the businesses. Extortion threats emerged last year and violence that followed included arsons and shootings, which police in Ontario, Alberta and B.C. said were linked to organized crime in the Indian state of Punjab. Surrey police Chief Norm Lipinski said it's important to tackle the extortion trend head-on, but it's equally important to collaborate with victims and the broader community to deal with it together. RCMP Chief Supt. Wendy Mehat, with the Surrey Provincial Operations Support Unit, said they are concerned there may be more victims who have complied with demands and haven't gone to police.
