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Scroll.in
9 hours ago
- Scroll.in
Canada: Indian-origin persons among 18 charged for extortion, acts of violence
Eighteen persons, several among them of Indian origin, have been arrested and charged in Canada's Peel region for extortion and acts of violence in connection with an organised criminal network linked to the towing industry. The Peel Regional Police said on Monday that they had recovered more than $4.2 million in assets after dismantling the network as part of a joint operation with local and provincial law enforcement agencies. The police said that the operation, titled Project Outsource, was launched in 2024 to look into the network believed to be behind a significant number of extortion cases and related acts of violence. 'As the investigation progressed, it became clear that the criminal network operated with two distinct, but interconnected components: one dedicated to extortion and violence, and the other rooted in the towing industry,' the statement said. Several suspects were found to be linked to towing companies operating under the names Certified Roadside and Humble Roadside, the statement said. Evidence was uncovered that these persons were engaged in insurance fraud by staging vehicle collisions, and using threats, assaults, and firearms to exert control over local towing operations, it added. The police said that 17 men from Brampton and a 37-year-old woman, identified as Haleh Javady Torabi from King City, have been arrested and charged in connection with the investigation as of June 10. The men were Inderjit Dhami, Paritosh Chopra, Gurbinder Singh, Kulwinder Puri, Parminder Puri, Inderjit Bal, Varun Aul, Ketan Chopra, Norman Tazehkand, Pawandeep Singh, Dipanshu Garg, Rahul Verma, Karan Boparai, Mankirat Boparai, Simar Boparai, Jovan Singh and Abhinav Bhardwaj. The police statement said that the persons arrested in the matter faced 97 criminal charges related to criminal organisation, extortion, fraud, firearms, among others. '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,' the authorities said. 'Of the 18, almost half were on a form of judicial release at the time of arrest.' Several weapons, including firearms and ammunition, were seized over the course of the investigation, the statement added 'This investigation has delivered a significant blow to a well-organised criminal network that has been spreading fear and violence in our communities,' Nishan Duraiappah, Peel Regional Police chief, said. 'These individuals and their actions have no place here, and they will be held fully accountable.'
Globe and Mail
10 hours ago
- Globe and Mail
Police arrest 18 in Greater Toronto tow truck bust
Police in the Greater Toronto Area have arrested 18 people who they say are part of an organized network tied to the towing industry that is responsible for alleged acts of extortion and violence. Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah on Monday announced the results of their operation, Project Outsource, from a podium encircled by seized tow trucks, firearms and a crossbow in a parking lot in Brampton, Ont. Chief Duraiappah alleged that the criminal network used violence to threaten and extort drivers, and also staged vehicle collisions to defraud insurance providers. The violence included arson, threatening online messages and drive-by shootings, he said. Peel police launched the investigation in July, 2024. Among those charged are Paritosh Chopra and Inderjit Dhami, whom Chief Duraiappah described as the 'leaders' of the criminal network. He said the alleged crimes targeted members of the South Asian business community through two towing companies, which he identified as Humble Roadside and Certified Roadside. Corporate records indicate that Mr. Chopra and Mr. Dhami are listed as directors of Humble Roadside. Mr. Chopra is also listed as director of Certified Roadside. Social-media accounts for both companies include the same telephone number. A woman who answered the phone told The Globe and Mail that she worked for Certified but said she did not know anything and hung up. 'The individuals were also involved with other criminal activities. The same people with access to the same means are doing a variety of different things, inclusive of fraud to the extent where a whole tow industry was exploiting vulnerable people,' Chief Duraiappah said. The alleged crimes by the towing companies 'have been done in the name of international ties,' Acting Detective Sergeant Brian Lorette said, though police have yet to establish a direct link to anyone outside of Canada.
Global News
a day ago
- Global News
‘Dozens of staged accidents': Crime group linked to tow truck industry, extortions charged
Peel Regional Police say key members of a Brampton-based criminal organization allegedly responsible several extortion incidents and staged car accidents are facing charges. In a press conference on Monday, police revealed details of an investigation called Project Outsource which was launched in July 2024 after officers saw a sharp trend in violent extortion attempts and other criminal activity in the region. Police allege Project Outsource found that the criminal network, which is allegedly tied to the tow truck industry, was operating with 'two distinct but interconnected components: one dedicated to extortion and violence, and the other rooted in the towing industry.' The force said several suspects were found to be associated with towing companies operating under the names 'Certified Roadside' and 'Humble Roadside.' Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'We have substantial evidence linking the group to dozens of staged accidents and potentially costing insurance companies between 80 and $100,000 for each staged accident,' said Deputy Chief Nick Milinovich with Peel Regional Police. Story continues below advertisement 'In total, those fraudulent claims exceed $1 million for this particular investigation,' Milinovich continued. 'To put that in perspective, fraudulent claims to the industry of insurance represent an equal amount to stolen cars, a cost which is then passed on to our community.' On June 10, police said a woman from King City along with 17 men from Brampton were arrested following several coordinated search warrants in Peel and York regions, as well as in Toronto, involving more than 200 officers. All 18 people face almost 100 charges including conspiracy, extortion, fraud, firearm-related offences, participating and instructing in a criminal organization and staging collision offences. Police noted that almost half of the accused were on some form of a judicial release at the time of their arrest. Several of them were known to police. Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah said the two people who are believed to be responsible for leading the criminal organization are part of the arrests. Over the course of Project Outsource, police said 18 tow trucks were seized with a total value of $2.8 million, five stolen vehicles were recovered worth more than $500,000, four personal high-end vehicles worth $840,000, six firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, as well as other various weapons such as crossbows, stun guns and baseball bats. Project Outsource was created as a focused sub-investigation under the Extortion Investigative Task Force — created in 2023 in response to recent, 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.
