B.C. police arrest two over extortion involving South Asian community

SURREY — Two suspects have been arrested in British Columbia in an investigation into widespread extortion of South Asian business figures, crimes that police and politicians say reach back to India.

RCMP in Surrey, B.C., say the suspects were arrested Thursday on arson and firearms allegations dating from late 2023 into 2024.

Victims of the crimes have reported receiving threats demanding large sums of money, sometimes followed by acts of violence or property damage when demands were not met, police say.

Chief Supt. Duncan Pound, the Lower Mainland’s district commander, said the arrests show the shared commitment among law enforcement in the region to pursuing criminal charges.

He said several police agencies are working together on these cases, and are “aggressively pursuing every opportunity” to collaborate on the investigations.

Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke thanked police for their efforts in a statement posted online.

“Our city has been under siege, and these actions send a powerful message that violence and criminal activity will not be tolerated in our community,” she said.

Garry Begg, B.C.’s minister of public safety, encouraged anyone who is a victim of extortion, or who has information that could help solve a crime, to come forward.

“These arrests demonstrate the shared commitment of law enforcement agencies to work collaboratively, leverage regional resources and gather evidence to bring criminal charges forward,” he said in a statement.

There have been similar extortion cases in Alberta and Ontario.

Last month, B.C. Premier David Eby asked the federal government to declare the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, based in India, a terrorist organization.

Police have linked the gang to some of the extortion threats.

RCMP say the two suspects were arrested on allegations of careless discharge of a firearm and arson related to crimes in Surrey, B.C., spanning back to 2023.

Police aren’t releasing the suspects’ names.

Pound said no charges have yet been laid and he wouldn’t give details on the allegations other than to say no one was hurt.

He said the two Surrey residents are in custody and they may be released without charge as police work with the BC Prosecution Service to secure charge approval.

Pound said the arrests are also an opportunity to speak directly to the South Asian community, to ensure they report these crimes.

“Obviously, we want to be able to understand exactly the scope of these incidents, and we’re not 100 per cent confident that we’ve got all of the reports in,” he said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 3, 2025.

The Canadian Press