Latest news with #InderjitDhami
NDTV
4 hours ago
- NDTV
Indian-Origin Suspects Among 18 Arrested In Canada Towing Industry Scam
Toronto: Eighteen people, most of them believed to be of Indian-origin, have been arrested and assets worth over 4.2 million Canadian dollars seized after police dismantled an organised criminal network linked to the towing industry in Canada's Ontario province, officials said. The arrests were made by Peel Regional Police as part of a Joint Force Operation with local and provincial law enforcement partners, it said in a press release on Monday. "More than $4.2 million in assets" were recovered from the possession of the 18 accused, following the dismantling of an organised criminal network linked to the towing industry", the release said. Although the release did not mention the nationalities of the accused, the names suggest that most of them are of Indian-origin. As of June 10, Haleh Javady Torabi, a 37-year-old woman from King City, and 17 men from Brampton have been arrested and charged in connection with the investigation, police said. The 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. The accused face a total of 97 criminal charges related to criminal organisation, extortion, fraud, firearms, and more, 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," it said. In 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. 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 release said. Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah said, "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 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 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. Project Outsource was a Joint Forces Operation with 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 said. York Regional Police Superintendent Sony Dosanjh said joint force operations, such as Project Outsource, are a reminder that collaborative efforts among agencies are crucial and effective in dismantling criminal organisations and restoring community safety and trust.
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.
