National team created to tackle extortion of Indo-Canadian businesses

A national coordination team has been established by Canadian law enforcement authorities to address the growing menace of extortion attempts targeting mainly Indo-Canadian business across multiple jurisdictions.
“A nation-wide alliance of various police departments across Canada is in place to help coordinate and advance a series of threat/extortion investigations underway,” the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said in a release on Thursday.
The RCMP National Coordination and Support Team (NCST) has been established and is working with police departments in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and outside of Canada to address a number of similar extortion and violence investigations.
“These coordination efforts are not limited by geographic boundaries and police are using all available tools and techniques in place throughout our country and beyond,” the release said. There have been concerns raised by local politicians and police departments about a link to Indian gangs to the escalation in these extortion attempts, which have included drive-by shootings as well as arson.
NCST leader Superintendent Adam MacIntosh said the team was “looking at all similarities and motivations as well as reports that these incidents are associated to organized crime groups.”
The NCST will not be taking over the various investigations underway, but will instead provide national coordination, tools and support to help advance them.
“The seamless sharing of information and intelligence through this enhanced law enforcement network will also expand the reach and impact of all police agencies involved,” the release noted.
“We are pleased that the RCMP will now assist in facilitating open lines of communication across Canada and better coordination and collaboration that will assist bringing these crimes to an end and ensure the safety of our communities,” Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah said.
The Peel region, particularly the town of Brampton, have been among the most impacted by the extortion epidemic. PRP had already set up a 23-member Extortion Investigative Task Force or EITF and on February 7 charged five persons in connection to alleged extortion: Gagan Ajit Singh, resident of Brampton, Anmoldeep Singh of Mississauga, Hashmeet Kaur and Iymanjot Kaur, both from Brampton, and Arundeep Thind, 39, of no fixed address.
Chief Superintendent Shawn Gill, Senior Operations Officer at Surrey detachment of the RCMP said the national coordination team now adds more resources across the board to enhance, streamline and align identifying, arresting and charging those responsible for these crimes. Nearly three dozen extortion cases have been reported from the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia which includes Surrey.
Staff Sergeant Dave Paton, of the Edmonton Drug and Gang Enforcement Section, said Edmonton Police Service has a dedicated team working on Project Gaslight, the extortion series now totaling 34 events in the capital of the province of Alberta.
Police in Canada believe targets “are contacted through a letter, phone calls or social media and demands for money are made under threats of violence”, the release said, warning them not to comply with the demand and contact local police immediately.