South Asian businesses across Canada are increasingly reporting extortion attempts that have turned violent. First, they receive a phone call or text message, usually demanding one million dollars. Then, in some cases, bullets begin to fly.
These attempts may be linked to an organized international extortion racket.
West of Toronto in Peel Region, police Chief Nishan Duraiappah says at least 20 companies have reported receiving an extortion call or message – six of those businesses have been shot at after declining to pay up.
"To have such a notable trend at a national level, requires a level of sophistication," says Chief Duraiappah, who admits investigators are "exploring" the possibility that organized crime, outside of Canada, could be behind these extortion cases.
Eerily similar, violent extortion attempts have also been reported in Surrey, B.C., prompting the mayors of both Surrey and Brampton, Ont., to pen a joint letter calling on the federal minister of public safety to begin prioritizing a co-ordinated policing effort across the country to bring an end to this violent trend.
"The complexity and inter-jurisdictional nature of these crimes necessitate a more comprehensive strategy involving provincial and federal authorities," the joint letter reads.
Â鶹´«Ã½ sat down with Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown and asked if he believes organized crime is behind these targeted extortion attempts on South Asian businesses.
"Absolutely, these investigations have led police in Ontario, in B.C., and now in Alberta, to determine that these organizations reside in India, outside of Canadian borders," he replied swiftly.
As a member of the Peel Police Services Board, Brown has a high level of understanding about the current crime at hand.
In early December, an exotic car dealership, Nawab Motors in Brampton, received an extortion call. Days later, armed gunmen arrived at the dealership in the early hours of the morning, and recorded a video as they fired multiple rounds at the business. Armed gunmen arrived a second time just days ago, and again opened fire on the business.
The video was then posted on a TikTok account under the name Harry Chatha – a known gang leader in India where he's been accused of extortion.
"If you're growing your business be very carful, because these guys will get you," says Nawab Motors sales manager Barjinder Singh.
Singh says he has no choice but to continue coming to work every day. He has bills to pay, and while he shares that many in the South Asian business community "don't feel safe anymore," he has a dealership that he needs to run.
To keep staff and customers safe, Nawab Motors has installed steel plates behind each of its windows to stop any incoming gunfire.
The owner of the dealership says he has left the country, and is contemplating pulling his business investments out of Canada too.
For Singh, each day at work comes with an unknown.
"If someone can do this in the middle of the night, they can do it in the middle of the day as well. I haven't seen any news that the people who've done this have been caught, so something needs to be done," he said.
Brown's office confirms he had a call with the minister of public safety following the joint letter he and the mayor of Surrey sent to Ottawa, though the details of that meeting haven't been shared.
"These threats of extortion are deeply concerning," a spokesperson from the minister of public safety's office told Â鶹´«Ã½ in a statement. "The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) are engaged with their local policing partners on this issue. If Canadians suspect they are the target of an extortion attempt, they should report it immediately to their local police force."
Â鶹´«Ã½ spoke to other business owners who've received these threats, and they've all shared a similar message; they want action from the government and protection from police.
The bullet holes that now line the exterior wall of Nawab Motors have done more than damage the facade. They've also pierced any sense of security for an entire community.
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