Surrey, B.C., calls for a national state of emergency regarding extortion

The council in Surrey, B.C., has passed a motion to urge Ottawa to declare a national state of emergency for extortions, as police say they've arrested two people while patrolling neighbourhoods targeted by extortion violence.

Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke says in a statement that making the declaration would give the federal government additional temporary powers to tackle the extortion crisis, given that current efforts have not been enough.

The city says the motion, which passed unanimously, repeated a call by Locke last week for the federal government to create a commissioner focused on extortion, as well as deploy more RCMP resources and expedite the removal of non-citizens charged or convicted in related cases.

In a separate news release, the Surrey Police Service say officers were conducting "proactively patrols" in areas that have been the target of extortion violence when they heard what they believe to be a gunshot on Monday.

They say officers stopped a suspect vehicle, taking the driver and a passenger into custody, and seized a loaded handgun.

The two men — who are both foreign nationals — have each been charged with one count of occupying a vehicle knowing a firearm is present, and the driver is also facing a charge of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.

British Columbia has seen a surge in extortion-related shootings in the Lower Mainland.

“Surrey is entering the third year of this crisis. Despite police and provincial efforts, these transnational crimes are not stopping, and we need a full-scale national effort,” Locke said in her statement. 

“We need to restore public safety, protect our community, and take organized crime off our streets.”

Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck