Latest news with #Indo-Canadians
Hindustan Times
08-08-2025
- Hindustan Times
Indo-Canadian trucker caught with CA$25M in cocaine at Canada-US border
Toronto: An Indo-Canadian trucker has been arrested by law enforcement while allegedly attempting to smuggle in cocaine worth nearly CA$ 25 million. Bags containing the cocaine that was seized during an alleged attempt to smuggle them into the country by an Indo-Canadian trucker (CBSA) The arrest was announced on Thursday by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). In a release, it said that on July 23, a commercial truck arriving from the United States was referred for a secondary examination at the Blue Water Bridge port of entry. During the ensuing inspection, border services officers found seven bags containing bricks of suspected cocaine. The total weight of the suspected narcotics was 197 kg, with an estimated street value of CA$24.6 million. The person arrested was identified by CBSA as 29-year-old Onkar Kalsi, a resident of Caledon, in Ontario. He was transferred to the custody of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and charged with Importation of Cocaine, and Possession of Cocaine for the Purpose of Trafficking. 'This seizure by our dedicated border services officers demonstrates our commitment to stopping criminal activities and safeguarding our communities. Our message is clear: Canada will not tolerate any attempts to undermine the integrity and security of its borders,' Minister of Public Safety Gary Anandasangaree said. Between January 1 and July 10, 2025, the CBSA seized a total of 1,164 kg of cocaine originating from the US, alongside 514 kg from other countries combined, the statement added. This isn't the first instance where Indian-origin truckers have been arrested in connection with the alleged smuggling to drugs. On June 10, Peel Regional Police (PRP) announced what was described as the 'largest drug seizure' in the history of the region. That investigation, Project Pelican, led to the seizure of CA $50 million worth of cocaine. Police recovered 479 kg of bricked cocaine along with two illegal semi-automatic loaded handguns. Of those charged, six were Indo-Canadians. They were identified as Hao Tommy Huynh, a 27-year-old resident of Mississauga, Sajgith Yogendrarajah, 31, from Toronto, Manpreet Singh, 44, from Brampton, Philip Tep, 39, from Hamilton, Arvinder Powar, 29, from Brampton, Karamjit Singh, 36, from Caledon, Gurtej Singh, 36, from Caledon, Sartaj Singh 27, from Cambridge and Shiv Onkar Singh, 31, from Georgetown. In January 2024, law enforcement arrested another Indo-Canadian trucker, Komalpreet Sidhu. Resident of Winnipeg, for allegedly attempting to smuggle drugs worth over CA$ 50 million into the country. That month, police announced that five persons including three Indo-Canadians were to be extradited to the US after a joint operation between Canadian and American law enforcement resulted in busting an alleged narcotics trafficking network. The operation, called Dead Hand, was undertaken between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit or CFSEU unit of the RCMP. They were identified as Ivan Gravel Gonzalez, 32, of Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Roberto Scoppa, 55, of Montréal, Ayush Sharma, 25, of Brampton, Guramrit Sidhu, 60, of Brampton and Subham Kumar, 29, of Calgary. On January 10, Canadian police announced they had arrested and charged 35-year-old Sukhwinder Dhanju, resident of Brampton in the Greater Toronto Area, for attempting to smuggle into the country cocaine worth approximately CA$ 6.5 million. On December 4, 2023, they caught Manpreet Singh, 27, a resident of Brampton, after the truck he was driving was found to be carrying boxes containing 52 kg of suspected cocaine.
News18
08-08-2025
- Politics
- News18
Goldy Brar To Lawrence Bishnoi: Gangsters At The Heart Of Canada's Khalistani Network
Khalistani-linked networks in Canada are said to be engaged in extortion, drug smuggling, terror financing, and even real estate investments. A string of recent attacks targeting Indo-Canadian individuals and businesses in British Columbia and Ontario has drawn renewed attention to the growing nexus between pro-Khalistani extremist groups and organised crime syndicates, according to top intelligence sources tracking these developments. Officials say outfits such as Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) are increasingly relying on gangsters like Lawrence Bishnoi, Goldy Brar, and Arsh Dalla to execute their operations. While these incidents have involved violence, intelligence inputs suggest the primary intent has been to damage property and intimidate targets, rather than to cause fatalities. Criminal-Terror Nexus The intelligence dossier reviewed by CNN-News18 points to a hybrid operational model. These Khalistani-linked networks are said to be engaged in extortion, drug smuggling, terror financing, and even real estate investments. Coordinated attacks and intimidation campaigns are reportedly funded through hawala channels, with money moving from India to hubs like Canada and Thailand. Goldy Brar, Arsh Dalla, and Lawrence Bishnoi are believed to be the key players orchestrating the extortion rackets and financing radical activities abroad. Canadian soil, sources say, continues to serve as a staging ground for planning and fundraising by Khalistani extremists — a fact officially acknowledged by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS). Reluctance to Act New Delhi has repeatedly handed over lists of wanted individuals, including Brar and Dalla, seeking extradition or prosecution. However, Indian security officials privately express frustration at what they see as Ottawa's 'weak enforcement," attributing the lack of action to domestic political considerations, including the voting strength of the Sikh diaspora in key constituencies. Pattern of Intimidation The strategy, sources say, revolves around targeted shootings, threats, and extortion calls aimed at high-profile Indo-Canadians, with the goal of establishing dominance and spreading fear within the community. Recent Incidents Kap's Café, Surrey, BC – On August 8, 2025, the café was shot at, leaving six bullet holes and shattered windows. The attack came less than a month after a similar incident. Harjit Singh Laddi, linked to BKI, had earlier claimed responsibility. Brampton, Ontario – In May 2025, three Indo-Canadians allegedly fired shots inside a vacant business while demanding extortion money. Fraser Valley, BC – In 2023, extortion letters demanding 'protection money" were circulated among South Asian businesses, traced back to Indian-origin gangs. Security officials warn that unless there is stronger international cooperation, the blend of organised crime and separatist extremism in Canada will remain a potent threat to Indo-Canadian safety. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Hindustan Times
10-07-2025
- Hindustan Times
6 Indo-Canadians charged for luring people online to rob them
Toronto: Canadian police have arrested six young Indo-Canadian males, including two minors, for allegedly luring members of the community, including gays, for assignations through social media, and then robbing them. Hardil Singh Mehrok is among six Indo-Canadians charged by Canadian police. (Credit: Peel Regional Police) Peel Regional Police (PRP) announced on Wednesday that between April and May this year, officers investigated three separate incidents where suspects engaged with victims via social media, to arrange in-person meetings under false pretenses. 'Upon meeting, the victims were reportedly robbed, and in some cases a firearm was presented,' a PRP release stated. Police had originally arrested two suspects on May 31, but four more identified on Wednesday. 'Investigators now believe that the suspects relied on false pretences to target South Asians, including members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, and lure them into meeting,' the PRP statement said. In its May 31 release, PRP said upon meeting with the suspects, the victims were allegedly met with violence and property was stolen. Two of the victims were taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. At the time, those arrested were identified as 20-year-old Abhijot Singh from Brampton, and 21-year-old Ridhampreet Singh from Mississauga. The charges they face include kidnapping, robbery with firearm, robbery and fraud. On July 4, police executed search warrants at several residences in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and as a result, 18-year-old Hardil Singh Mehrok of Brampton and two male youth, aged 16 and 17, were arrested and charged with kidnapping and robbery. An arrest warrant has been sought for 20-year-old Preetpal Kooner of Mississauga for the same offences. 'Investigators believe there may be additional victims who have not come forward out of fear,' PRP said on Wednesday, adding that consultations are in progress over possible 'hate-motivated charges'. In an advisory, PRP asked members of the public to 'exercise caution' when meeting those they have only encountered online. It advised that they meet in public places, notify a friend or family member of the location and other details of the tryst, and verify the identity of the person they plan to meet through video calls or other means.
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Carney defends decision to restore diplomacy with India, calls it 'foundational'
OTTAWA — Reinstating key diplomats in Canada and India is a "foundational" step toward restoring the relationship between the two countries, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Thursday. But Carney still refused to say whether he raised the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Alberta on Tuesday. Several Sikh organizations, including Sikhs for Justice, have called on the prime minister to be more transparent about what India is doing to co-operate with police investigations here, including the probe into the 2023 murder of Nijjar, a Sikh separatist activist. "I never make it a policy to give a line-by-line transcript readout of exactly what's said in a meeting, and I'm not about to start now," Carney told a press conference on Parliament Hill. Carney said he did talk about transnational repression with Modi and Canada has made it "very clear" that it won't be tolerated from any source. The prime minister also would not say what India has done since Canada expelled six top Indian diplomats in October in response to allegations that agents of India or their proxies engaged in violent crimes against Canadians, including murder, extortion and coercion. India also expelled six Canadian diplomats in October. Carney and Modi agreed in their meeting to appoint new high commissioners. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service identified India as one of the main drivers of foreign interference in its annual report, released publicly on Wednesday. Former prime minister Justin Trudeau and the RCMP have linked agents of the Indian government to Nijjar's murder. Former NDP leader Jagmeet Singh received a "duty to warn" from the RCMP in December 2023 about an imminent threat to his life. According to a recent Global News report, Singh was being followed by agents of the Indian government at the time. Carney said Thursday that exchanging high commissioners is a "basic, first step" in having a relationship with India. "There are very deep ongoing ties, people-to-people, certainly of Indo-Canadians but Canadians as a whole with India. We don't have a high commissioner in India right now. We're not serving Canadians in India right now because of where we are," he said. "So just having a basic level of engagement is in many respects a duty of the government. I'm glad we came to that agreement and understanding." Carney said this "understanding" is based on several factors, including law enforcement co-operation. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 19, 2025. David Baxter, The Canadian Press
United News of India
20-06-2025
- Politics
- United News of India
Exchanging high commissioners with India is a basic first step in restoring ties: Canadian PM Carney
Ottawa, June 19 (UNI) Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has said that exchanging high commissioners with India is a 'basic first step' in restoring the diplomatic relationship with New Delhi. Answering a media query on why his government has chosen to reappoint a high commissioner to India following talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Alberta, PM Carney said: 'It's a foundational necessary first step for the relationship, which is to exchange high commissioners, and re-begin effectively diplomatic service, or consular service. 'We have very deep ongoing ties, people to people, not just of Indo-Canadians but of Canadians with India. We don't have a high commissioner in India right now, we are not serving Canadians in India right now, because of where we are. It's reciprocal for the Indian government. 'So having a basic level of engagement is in many respects a duty of the government. I'm glad we came to the agreement understanding. It is also based on several things, the law enforcement cooperation, understanding of issues of transnational repression, which we discussed not just at the G7 but also in the conversation that PM Modi and I had.' To a question on whether the two leaders discussed the issue of the killing of prominent Khalistani and Indo-Canadian Hardeep Singh Nijjar in 2023 in British Columbia, over which issue the relations between the two nations had soured, PM Carney brushed it off, with: 'Look, I never make it a policy to give a line by line transcript readout of what exactly was said in the meeting, and I'm not about to start now.' On June 6, the Canadian PM called up PM Modi to invite him for the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta. Later on June 7, explaining his stance, PM Carney had said that India being the fifth largest economy in the world, having the largest population, and being central to very vital supply global value chains, deserves to be at the G7 Summit table, and that he had spoken to PM Modi to invite him. 'India is the fifth largest economy in the world, effectively the most populous country in the world, central to a number of those supply chains, at the heart of those supply chains, and so that (invite) makes sense. 'And in addition, bilaterally, we have now agreed, importantly, to continue law enforcement dialogue, so there's some progress on that which recognises issues of accountability. I extended the invitation to PM Modi in that context and he has accepted.' During their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit earlier this week, the two leaders agreed to reinstate High Commissioners in their respective countries. The two leaders also underscored the importance of 'restarting senior ministerial as well as working-level engagements across various domains to rebuild trust and bring momentum to the relationship'. They also discussed the importance of restarting the stalled trade negotiations. Prime Minister Modi in a post on X, termed their meeting as an excellent one and added that the two prime ministers look forward to working closely to add momentum to the bilateral friendship. 'Had an excellent meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney. Complimented him and the Canadian Government for successfully hosting the G7 Summit. 'India and Canada are connected by a strong belief in democracy, freedom and rule of law. 'PM Carney and I look forward to working closely to add momentum to the India-Canada friendship. Areas like trade, energy, space, clean energy, critical minerals, fertilisers and more offer immense potential in this regard.' UNI RN
