‘Economic terrorism:' Surrey, B.C., politicians and business owners demand action on extortion threats, shootings
A bullet hole is seen in the window of a Surrey business whose owner has been targeted in multiple extortion threats.
A Surrey man at the centre of multiple extortion threats had his business shot at again last Friday.
Satish Kumar spoke with CTV News earlier that day about his banquet hall being targeted just one week prior. He explained that voice messages threatened to kill him and his family if he didn't hand over $2 million.
Friday night's shooting at Satish Accounting also came on the eve of a safety forum Kumar was holding at his banquet hall. Sunday's forum proceeded, and hundreds of community members, along with federal, provincial and municipal politicians attended.
Surrey Police Service Chief Const. Norm Lipinski was asked numerous questions about the police's response, and he reiterated that it's crucial to report extortion immediately and not to pay the money that is demanded.
'I'm very concerned. I'm concerned for the community,' said Chief Const. Lipinski.
'We are front-end loading with an extortion investigative team. We're putting resources into that. We're putting specialty people into that.'
Lipinski went on to tell CTV News that the city needs seasoned investigators, translation services, and surveillance and technology crews to help combat the growing threat of extortion targeting South Asian businesses.
According to police, there have been 10 reported extortion threats over the last six months. Authorities say many more have likely gone unreported, although no arrests have been made.
'We are here because criminals are waging economic terrorism in our community,' said Surrey Mayor, Brenda Locke, speaking at the safety forum.
Locke went on to urge all levels of government to step up and potentially create a joint task force to protect the community from these threats.
She said would also like to see a tip line created along with a dashboard that would allow for communication across the country given that cities including Abbotsford, Edmonton and Brampton face similar challenges to those in Surrey.
'I want the federal government to do a review of the transition process from the RCMP to the Surrey Police Service,' said Locke, who campaigned on stopping that transition.
'They must do that because there's a lot of cracks in this and they're showing.'
On Monday, Peel Regional Police held a press conference where they announced the dismantling of a violent criminal organization that attempted to extort hundreds of thousands of dollars in the Greater Toronto Area.
The investigation was called Project Outsource, and investigators reported that 18 people have been arrested and face nearly 100 charges, combined.
Peel Chief of Police Nishan Duraiappah explained that they took action in 2023 after noticing a 'sharp' rise in violent extortions targeting members of the South Asian business community.
He went on to say that the model is being used across the continent, and they are working with police partners in the Lower Mainland, Edmonton and south of the border in Sacramento, Calif. to help protect people from being targeted.
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