Indian-origin among 18 held in towing scam targeting South Asians

India Today

5 hours ago

Over a dozen Indian-origin individuals were arrested by Canada's Peel Regional Police (PRP), and over CAD $4.2 million (approximately Rs 2.5 crore) in assets were confiscated after dismantling a Brampton-based organised crime network tied to the towing industry.PRP Chief Nishan Duraiappah said the investigation began following a rise in violent extortion threats, mainly targeting South Asian business owners.Duraiappah stated that the criminal network used violence to threaten and extort drivers, and also staged vehicle collisions to defraud insurance providers.advertisement
The violence included arson, threatening online messages, and drive-by shootings, The Globe and Mail quoted Duraiappah as saying.The investigation was launched amid a surge in violent extortion threats against the South Asian community, according to the police chief.The individuals charged include Inderjit Dhami (38), Paritosh Chopra (32), Gurbinder Singh (28), Kulwinder Puri (25), Parminder Puri (31), Inderjit Bal (29), Varun Aul (31), Ketan Chopra (30), Pawandeep Singh (25), Dipanshu Garg (24), Rahul Verma (27), Karan Boparai (26), Mankirat Boparai (22), Simar Boparai (21), Jovan Singh (23), and Abhinav Bhardwaj (25)."A large number of the extortions we have been investigating over these years can be attributed to this criminal organisation and those associated with it," Duraiappah said at a news conference, according to a report in CBC.Last month, three Indian-origin men were arrested in Brampton after they fired shots inside a business establishment in the city to extort money, according to PRP.advertisementAdditionally, a 51-year-old Indo-Canadian businessman, Harjeet Dhadda, was shot multiple times in a parking area in Mississauga, Ontario, on May 14. Dhadda, a native of Uttarakhand, had been targeted with several extortion threats, and his daughter held authorities responsible for not preventing his death.PROJECT OUTSOURCE WAS LAUNCHED IN 2024In July 2024, "Project Outsource" was launched to investigate a criminal organisation believed to be behind a significant number of extortion incidents and related acts of violence, according to a statement issued by the police on Monday.Several suspects were found to be associated with towing companies operating under the names Certified Roadside and Humble Roadside. Investigators uncovered evidence that these individuals were engaged in insurance fraud by staging vehicle collisions, and using threats, assaults, and firearms to exert control over local towing operations, the statement added.WOMAN AMONG 18 HELD FOR THEIR ALLEGED INVOLVEMENTA woman from King City and seventeen men from Brampton were arrested and are now facing a combined 97 charges, including extortion, directing and participating in a criminal organisation, and involvement in staged collision schemes.Over the course of the investigation, authorities seized a range of assets linked to the criminal operation.These included 18 tow trucks valued at CAD $2.8 million, four personal vehicles worth CAD $840,000, and five stolen vehicles recovered with a combined value of CAD $571,000. Additionally, six firearms, 586 rounds of ammunition, two bulletproof vests, and various other weapons, including a crossbow, taser, and baseball bats, were seized.advertisementThree accused were charged and then released with a court date set for later, while 15 others were kept in custody for a bail hearing at the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton. Nearly half of the 18 were already out on some form of court-ordered release when they were arrested, according to the statement.Police expect more arrests and charges as the investigation continues.