British Columbia's public safety minister said police intelligence had linked many cases of extortion against the South Asian community to India's Lawrence Bishnoi gang, giving the government confidence to recently seek its listing as a terrorist organization.
Garry Begg, who is also solicitor general, said Thursday that the provincial government was providing $100,000 to set up a 60-day Crime Stoppers awareness campaign for victims in an effort to encourage witnesses to come forward.
"It's important that we realize that there is fear in the community at large," Begg said, adding that it is something the awareness campaign aims to address.
"A situation like this creates a level of awareness that helps people who are victims or who are aware of victims understand that this is a society problem," he said. "If I could speak directly to the community — if you are a victim of extortion, if you do receive a call, the most important thing that you can do is report it to the police."
Premier David Eby said last week he would ask the federal government to declare the India-based gang a terrorist organization, which would allow Canada to freeze its assets and give police more tools to combat their crimes.
Begg said the Bishnoi gang had "publicly linked themselves" to a number of cases locally.
"And through our co-operation with international police agencies and local police, we're satisfied — that is, the government is satisfied — that their attempts to link themselves to the crimes committed here comprise enough for the federal government to accede to our request to identify them as a terrorist group," he said.
Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke said on Wednesday that her city supported the action, calling the extortion attempts "economic terrorism."
She said victims must not stay silent out of fear, and should report all extortion threats.
"The violence and intimidation our community faces are unacceptable," Locke's statement said. "We have seen a disturbing rise in extortions, threats of violence, and ongoing shootings linked to these criminal organizations."
Locke also said many Surrey residents were "too frightened to go to police" to report similar threats.
"Our community members must feel confident to report these crimes," she said. "We must ask ourselves why they are scared. Fear should never silence victims or witnesses."
Police have previously said that South Asian community members have been extorted of cash under the threat of violence or death, and that the Bishnoi gang based in India has been linked to some threats.
Surrey Police Service Chief Const. Norm Lipinski said on Thursday that there had been 12 files of alleged extortions in the community since the beginning of this year, although none had been put forward to the Crown for prosecution.
"We feel that is under-reported," Lipinski said of the number of files being investigated as possible extortion cases.
Police in nearby Abbotsford, B.C., said in 2023 that they were investigating cases linked to the Bishnoi gang involving affluent South Asian community members being extorted.
Surrey community members gathered last weekend to discuss the issue, while police have said there has been an uptick in complaints about threats of violence delivered through letters, calls and online messages.
Eby said on Wednesday that B.C. had reached out to both Ontario and Alberta because they were "similarly affected by this extortion conduct," encouraging them to also push for the Bishnoi gang to be declared a terrorist organization in Canada.
"We believe that the more provinces that are supportive, the faster the federal government will move on this," Eby said, adding that Begg had also reached out to his federal counterpart, Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree.
"We hope they're able to move very quickly to support police by declaring this organization (and) any other allegedly involved organizations in this designation, so that police have the tools that they need to end this conduct as quickly as possible."
Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
