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Five foreign nationals face extortion, arson and weapons charges after an RCMP investigation into threats and violence against South Asian business owners in British Columbia.
Five foreign nationals have been arrested and charged with significant offences related to extortion in British Columbia, RCMP announced Friday. Four of the accused were arrested in Surrey, B.C.
, and one was arrested arriving at Toronto Pearson Airport. The charges stem from an investigation launched in June 2025 after owners of an auto dealership reported significant extortion demands. Those demands were followed by two targeted attacks on the business's locations in Surrey and Langley, B.C. Supt.
Harm Dosange of Langley RCMP said the investigation into arsons, shootings and extortions was long and difficult. Investigators worked across Canada and internationally and faced numerous daunting challenges and some unprecedented things we have not seen before, he said. Dosange said police obtained evidence identifying additional suspects and evidence supporting other extortion-related offences throughout Western Canada. He would not elaborate further because the case is before the courts.
Five Accused Face Serious Charges
The five accused are in their 20s and face a variety of charges, including extortion, damaging property by fire or explosion, and throwing an explosive substance, along with numerous drug and firearms allegations. Police seized guns and drugs, including what they suspect to be cocaine, fentanyl and opium. We went to court to get the charging document after the news conference. It spells out the methods of terror the accused allegedly relied on.
The document claims Singla and Simranjeet Singh intentionally or recklessly caused damage by fire or explosion to a Mustang vehicle in June 2025. It also alleges the two threw Molotov cocktails into the auto shop with intent to destroy or damage property. Singla, Sahil, Simranjeet Singh, Harsh and Jagdeep Singh are each charged with intentionally or recklessly causing damage to a Ford van by fire or explosion.
Sahil is also charged with trafficking cocaine and transferring prohibited firearms, including a Kodiak Defence firearm and a Glock handgun. One of the accused was arrested getting off a plane in Toronto from India. Police said investigators determined it was in the public interest to have him appear before the courts in Canada.
The RCMP said investigators worked with immigration and border services officials as well as international police to facilitate a controlled operation to allow the suspect to enter Canada in order to arrest him. Police would not share more details on that operation. The arrests are among a series of cases being investigated after a provincewide extortion task force was launched last year. Police in Surrey and Abbotsford also diverted officers to the cases.
Surrey Extortion Task Force Statistics
The City of Surrey set up a $250,000 reward for convictions, while the Surrey Police Service started keeping statistics for the year. From Jan. 1 to Sept. 28, the Surrey Police Service has had 142 reported extortions, 21 related shots-fired cases, three arsons and 76 victims, although 39 of them are repeated victims. The extortionists are aiming their threats at business owners and those in the South Asian community. Chief Supt.
Duncan Pound with B.C.
's extortion task force said the trial for those accused will hear if the India-based Lawrence Bishnoi gang is involved. He said there are lots of these investigations where perpetrators allege they are connected to high-profile gangs to try and increase intimidation. It is also a way to make money, he noted. The Lawrence Bishnoi gang has been labelled a terrorist entity in Canada.
Bishnoi has been accused of running his operation while in prison in India. As in today's announcement, all the cases we have covered have involved multiple suspects with ties to cases in other provinces, usually Alberta and southern Ontario. At immigration proceedings, police witnesses have spoken about the fact that the perpetrators and weapons move between provinces, making it hard to keep track of them.
Bishnoi Gang Links And Threats
Police have also spoken about threats against business owners who have been targeted at their homes and businesses. The threats usually come through WhatsApp numbers, and when victims refuse to answer, the extortionists follow up with texts. According to Immigration and Refugee Board transcripts, Ravinder Singh has been tied to multiple incidents involving extortion and shooting in Ontario, B.C. and Alberta. He is allegedly part of a group known as a Bishnoi-linked gang called Hood 420.
We reported on the chief suspect behind a shooting at Radio Swift 1200 AM, which happened in Surrey last September. He was caught with a note on his phone that matched a threat sent to the radio station's owner. Puneet Sandhar, vice-president of the South Asian Business Association of B.C. , said the arrests are encouraging.
It has been kind of like a roller-coaster. You feel okay, you are out of the woods, and then no, not really yet, she said. So news like this, when we see concrete action, gives us relief for sure.
Business Owners Voice Relief
However, Sandhar said the crisis has instilled fear among business owners who have shied away from openly discussing, advertising, or sponsoring events due to fears of extortion. She described business owners pushing back from wanting to celebrate, wanting to be seen, wanting to appear at events, wanting to sponsor good causes, because their name would be out there and it would probably alert the people and lead them to contact them.
She hopes the business community can feel more comfortable as more offenders are held accountable. We should consider this a crisis, and we really want the resources and the attention still to be on this issue, and we still want to see ongoing work, said Sandhar. Dosange said the project has also resulted in the seizure of firearms and drugs. He said police will have more to say on that at a later date and time.
Both Dosange and Pound said the victims' courage to come to police made the difference in their investigation. Truly, without really timely reporting and the courage to come forward and provide as many details as they can, it is very difficult for the police anywhere to get to a point like we are at today, where we can announce arrests and charges being laid.
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CBCNews:5 foreign nationals arrested in connection to B.C. extortions, shootings and arsons | CBCThis story was compiled and edited by the HeadTopics newsroom and HT AI from the reports above.
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