Seventeen individuals are now facing over 100 charges following an inquiry into a series of violent extortion incidents mainly aimed at South Asian businesses in the Greater Toronto Area, as stated by Peel police. The police mention that a collaborative effort involving provincial, federal, and U.S. authorities was initiated last December, leading to the dismantling of an organized campaign of intimidation, threats, and escalating violence utilized to extort local businesses.
Multiple establishments, such as restaurants and trucking companies, were recurrently targeted after resisting extortion demands, according to law enforcement. In a specific occurrence, two individuals are accused of perpetrating a shooting and arson at a residence in Caledon, followed shortly by another shooting at a business in Brampton.
Investigators reveal that the 17 suspects have been tied to a total of 24 incidents, with 16 linked to For Brothers, an international criminal network that specifically targets South Asian entrepreneurs and community members in Canada and the U.S.
Peel police mentioned that they suspect the criminal network responsible for the assaults on the South Asian community in Peel Region has also been active in British Columbia and has connections to California. Peel police Chief Nishan Duraiappah stressed the need for robust cross-border collaboration and intelligence-sharing among agencies to combat such crimes effectively.
The majority of the suspects hail from Ontario, with two individuals from British Columbia and one from California. The group collectively faces 106 charges. Additionally, police disclosed that six individuals implicated in the investigation may undergo immigration proceedings, potentially leading to their expulsion from the country once their criminal cases conclude.
Furthermore, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has detained six individuals for immigration-related inadmissibility. Of those detained, three have been deported from Canada, two are in CBSA custody, and one has been released by the Immigration and Refugee Board under specific conditions.