18 held in Canada in case of organised criminal network
Eighteen individuals, most of them believed to be of Indian origin, have been arrested and assets worth over 4.2 million Canadian dollars seized following the dismantling of an organised criminal network linked to the towing industry in Ontario province, according to Peel Regional Police.
The arrests were made as part of Project Outsource, a Joint Forces Operation involving local and provincial law enforcement agencies.
Project Outsource: shutting down extortions, violence and threats aimed at business owners in Peel.
$4.2M worth of assets seized and 18 individuals arrested with 97 charges. 6 Firearms and over 500 rounds of ammunition taken off our streets.
Our investigators' outstanding work… pic.twitter.com/pGL1ffuz3s — Peel Regional Police (@PeelPolice) June 16, 2025
'More than $4.2 million in assets' were recovered from the possession of the 18 accused, the police said in a press release issued on Monday (June 16, 2025). While the release did not confirm the nationalities of those arrested, the names suggest that a majority may be of Indian descent.
As of June 10, a total of 18 persons — including Haleh Javady Torabi, a 37-year-old woman from King City, and 17 men from Brampton — have been arrested and charged.
The arrested men were identified as Inderjit Dhami (38), Paritosh Chopra (32), Gurbinder Singh (28), Kulwinder Puri (25), Parminder Puri (31), Inderjit Bal (29), Varun Aul (31), Ketan Chopra (30), Norman Tazehkand (32), 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 total of 97 criminal charges have been laid against the accused, including offences related to criminal organisation, extortion, fraud, and firearms, police said.
'Three individuals were charged and released to attend court at a later date, while 15 were held for a bail hearing at the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton. Of the 18, almost half were on a form of judicial release at the time of arrest,' the release stated.
Project Outsource was launched in July 2024 to investigate a criminal organisation believed to be behind a series of extortion incidents and violent acts. Investigators later found the network had two operational arms: one focused on extortion and violence, and the other embedded in the towing industry.
Project Outsource has delivered a significant blow to a well-organized criminal network that has been spreading fear and violence in our communities. These individuals and their actions have no place here, and they will be held fully accountable.
I want to thank our Joint… https://t.co/r1xOrRw3gYpic.twitter.com/PKr51mxLQs — Chief Nishan Duraiappah (@ChiefNish) June 16, 2025
Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah observed that 'nearly half of those arrested were already on some form of judicial release at the time — once again raising serious concerns about repeat offenders and the urgent need for bail reform.'
Several suspects were linked to towing companies operating under the names Certified Roadside and Humble Roadside. Police uncovered evidence of insurance fraud involving staged vehicle collisions, as well as the use of threats, assaults, and firearms to dominate local towing operations.
'The success of Project Outsource sends a clear message: criminal organisations that use violence, fear, and fraud to prey on our communities will be identified, investigated, and dismantled,' Michael S. Kerzner, Solicitor General of Ontario, said.
The operation involved Peel Regional Police, Ontario Provincial Police, Halton Regional Police, York Regional Police, and Toronto Police Service.
'In recent years, Peel Region has experienced a sharp rise in violent extortion attempts targeting South Asian business owners, including demands for large sums of money, threats for non-payment, and acts of violence, including drive-by shootings. In response to these incidents, Peel Regional Police established the Extortion Investigation Task Force in December 2023,' the release added.
York Regional Police Superintendent Sony Dosanjh said joint force operations such as Project Outsource underscore the value of inter-agency cooperation in dismantling organised crime and rebuilding community safety and trust.
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