South Asian business owners in B.C. have paid millions to extortionists: Kash Heed

Surrey RCMP says it has received about two dozen reports of extortions targeting South Asian businesses or individuals since March 2023. No charges have been laid.

Published Oct 16, 2024  •  3 minute read

Some South Asian business owners in the Lower Mainland have paid millions of dollars to extortionists threatening violence, according to B.C.'s former solicitor general Kash Heed. Photo by DARRYL DYCK /The Canadian Press

Some South Asian business owners in the Lower Mainland have paid millions of dollars to extortionists threatening violence, according to B.C.’s former solicitor general.

“One, who lives in Surrey and has been very successful in the manufacturing industry, told me he was afraid to tell his wife and family,” said Kash Heed, a former West Vancouver police chief and current Richmond city councillor.

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Since March 2023, Surrey RCMP said Wednesday it has received about two dozen reports of extortions targeting South Asian businesses or individuals.

While it has launched investigations into the incidents, no charges have been laid.

Concerns about extortion and other violent activity have intensified this week after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the federal government had expelled six Indian diplomats after a national RCMP investigation into the assassination of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar revealed alleged links in Canada between criminal activities — including extortion — and agents of the Indian government.

“Over the past few years, and more recently, law enforcement agencies in Canada, including the RCMP, have successfully investigated and charged a significant number of individuals for their direct involvement in homicides, extortions and other criminal acts of violence,” the RCMP said in a statement Monday.

While Heed acknowledged it’s possible agents of the Indian government could be behind the extortions reported by business owners, he described this week’s federal announcement as “unhelpful.”

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“These claims came too early as it failed to provide concrete evidence to substantiate its claims or result in charges being filed,” Heed said.

“Politicians and police agencies need to provide some evidentiary support when making broad statements like this, but we haven’t seen that from them. Without it, conspiracy theories tend to proliferate, which does not aid in finding out who is behind these crimes.”

Heed said one Surrey extortion victim he’s aware of received daily threatening calls, with verbal and text messages becoming increasingly detailed, referencing his family members locally and in India.

“He was being sent graphic pictures of what would happen to his grandchildren and kids if he didn’t pay. Frustrated by the lack of police assistance, he transferred more than $3 million to bank accounts in India.”

The allegations against the Indian government, meanwhile, have increased tensions, which worsened last year when Trudeau claimed that Canada had evidence connecting Indian agents in Nijjar’s murder. Four Indian nationals have since been charged with murder and conspiracy.

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Three of the accused killers — Karan Brar, Kamalpreet Singh and Karanpreet Singh — arrived in Canada on student visas and have links to the Bishnoi group and B.C.-based gangs. Amandeep Singh, 22, was arrested and charged in May.

Extortion cases targeting South Asian business owners have spanned the country this year, including in Edmonton and Peel, Ont., where cases have led to arrests and charges against several individuals linked to criminal organizations. Municipal police agencies in those regions formed independent task forces to investigate those cases.

“We have had so many extortion cases in our region, and yet, very little success of arrests or charges. I think it’s because the RCMP is reliant on a national police alliance to investigate cases in the Lower Mainland,” Heed said.

As early as November 2023, Surrey RCMP warned businesses about attempted extortions. Abbotsford police issued a similar warning the same week after several businesses received a letter requesting money in exchange for “protection from future violence.”

“Each incident is assessed as it is reported and an investigative team is assigned accordingly,” an RCMP spokesperson said.

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“Our officers remain diligent in their approach to thoroughly investigate each case, actively following up on all leads and avenues of investigation in order to bring the person or persons responsible for these crimes before the courts.”

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