Indian crime ring targets more than 20 victims of South Asian community in Peel
Published January 19, 2024 at 11:45 am
From homes set on fire to drive-by shootings, police across Canada are dealing with a surge in violent extortions believed to be run by a group in India, including at least 20 incidents reported to police in Peel.
Peel Regional Police said in December that they had nine cases of extortion under investigation after victims had been contacted through social media by individuals demanding money under threats of violence.
In one incident police say multiple gunshots were fired at a business near Rutherford Road South and Clark Boulevard in Brampton. One person was arrested in the shooting while one suspect is still at large.
The targets were members of the South Asian community and police now say there have been more than 20 extortions or attempts in Peel Region since November.
But the attacks aren’t exclusively a Peel problem as Edmonton and Surrey, B.C., have both seen spikes in extortions that investigators say are similar to organized crime rings in the Indian state of Punjab.
“We believe these crimes are being orchestrated from India,” Sgt. Dave Paton with the Edmonton Police Service told reporters of the more than a dozen arsons set in that city linked to the investigation.
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The extortions start with a phone call, social media or text message demanding money from victims and in some cases have escalated to violence.
And while police say it may be frightening to get demands, Peel police Chief Nishan Duraiappah is urging residents not to play along with the extortionists and to contact local police immediately.
Duraiappah says police agencies are working “at a national level” to crack down on the growing trend of extortions and Peel police have launched an Extortion Investigative Task Force to crack down on the attacks.
Insauga.com has reached out to Peel police for an update on the number of incidents that have occurred in Mississauga and Brampton but no response was immediately received.
Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown and Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke have sent a letter to Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc calling for “a more comprehensive strategy” and a “unified approach to tackle this issue.”
Brown said in interviews earlier this week that he had not yet received a response from the federal government but says “this extortion ring must be shut down immediately.”
“We can’t accept international criminal gangs terrorizing Canadians,” Brown said in a post on social media. “If we don’t have a swift response at a national level what we are seeing in the lower mainland of BC, in Edmonton, Alberta and in Peel Region will be replicated elsewhere.”
Several arrests have already been made in multiple provinces linked to the extortions, including two arrests by Surrey RCMP and at least six in Edmonton.
Police are asking victims to immediately contact investigators if they, their family or their business is targeted with threats of violence.
Anyone with information regarding these incidents is asked to contact the Extortion Investigative Task Force at 905-453-2121 ext. 2133 or anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
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