Surrey Police have levelled serious charges against seven individuals of Punjabi descent — all in their early 20s — following a series of violent extortion and firearms investigations.
As part of “Project Assurance”, authorities are cracking down on organized criminal networks that have been linked to multiple shootings and intimidation tactics across the city.
In a significant development, two foreign nationals, 20-year-old Prabhjot Singh and 22-year-old Lovebir Singh, have already been deported from Canada. Following their arrests earlier this year, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) conducted immigration reviews that resulted in their immediate removal. Police have released their photographs publicly, hoping to generate new leads regarding their associates and the broader criminal infrastructure behind the extortion schemes.
The investigation has also led to the arrests of three men in connection with a February 1 shooting in the Crescent Beach area. Harjot Singh (21), Taranveer Singh (19) and Dayajeet Singh Billing (21) were apprehended shortly after allegedly firing into a residence and attempting to flee in a rideshare vehicle. All three men, identified as foreign nationals, face charges of discharging a firearm and remain in custody.
Additionally, two other suspects, Harshdeep Singh and Hanspreet Singh, were charged after patrol officers intercepted a vehicle and recovered a loaded handgun following gunshots near 129 Street in late January.
Surrey Police continue to work closely with federal immigration authorities as the investigation into these foreign nationals proceeds. They are also urging anyone with dashcam or CCTV footage of these incidents to come forward.
The action has been taken amidst a critical special bulletin by Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) detailing a sustained campaign of coercion typically involving “financially vulnerable, young male, Indian nationals in Canada on study permits who are being used as foot soldiers by gangs for targeted violence” against South Asian diaspora communities across Canada.
The bulletin further warns that copycat actors and smaller criminal elements are leveraging the fearsome reputation of these major gangs to maximise the impact of their own extortion demands.