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SURREY — Dozens of extortion attempts and shootings in Surrey, B.C., are threatening the way of life in the city, Mayor Brenda Locke said, calling the extortionists “thugs and criminals” who don’t belong.
Locke announced on Monday a $250,000 reward fund for information leading to convictions in the extortion cases, but said the federal and provincial governments must also step up to help fight the crimes.
The reward fund provided to the Surrey Police Service is one of the largest in Canadian policing history, Locke told a news conference.
Police in the Metro Vancouver city are investigating 44 extortion cases, including 27 that involved shootings targeting businesses, homes and vehicles.
Video posted to social media in July showed the windows of Kap’s Cafe riddled with bullet holes. The business is owned by Indian celebrity Kapil Sharma. The restaurant was shot at again the following month.
Locke said the city needs help from higher levels of government as it tackles the extortion attempts, which have also been documented in Ontario and Alberta.
“We all have heard very many times that this is a transnational situation that we’re dealing with in Surrey and right across this country,” she said.
“I think that it’s really time that we looked at this in a much broader perspective, nationally and provincially,” she said.
Locke said she had talked to federal and provincial ministers about the issue.
“But, you know, I’ll be perfectly frank. We have not had what I had hoped for in terms of that support.”
Locke did not outline exactly what kind of help she is looking for.
Police elsewhere have accused the India-based Lawrence Bishnoi gang of involvement in the crimes targeting South Asian communities across Canada.
British Columbia Premier David Eby and others have called for the group to be declared a terrorist organization.
Chief Const. Norm Lipinski said the shootings have often taken place in the early morning hours, with shots fired at homes, vehicles and businesses.
“To my knowledge, the intention was not to shoot at people,” he said.
Lipinski said the threats are likely under-reported, but he believed police were building momentum to encourage people to come forward with their experiences.
Locke said the extortions are “frightening and unacceptable,” and many people in the Metro Vancouver city are living in fear.
“I want to speak directly to those who know who is behind these extortions. Now, now is the time to come forward,” Locke said.
“And for those who have committed these crimes, know this — you will be caught, you will be prosecuted and you will be held accountable.”
Lipinski said a dedicated team has been investigating the extortions for three months since a peak in the crimes in June.
He said police have served search warrants and identified persons of interest, but investigators need help from the public.
“We know that there are people out there who have information about these crimes and who is behind them,” Lipinski said.
He said the reward money could be divided up based on assessments of the information that people provide.
The service has also launched a new tip line dedicated to the extortion file.
The B.C. government provided $100,000 in June to help Crime Stoppers run a 60-day campaign to encourage people to come forward in response to what it described as a rise in extortion threats against the South Asian community.
Lipinski said police had not received any “actionable intelligence” as a result of that campaign, but he believed the reward fund would motivate people.
Asked whether he thought $250,000 would be enough, Lipinski said he was optimistic.
“If you look throughout North America, when you’re talking about criminal organizations and so forth, in many respects, money talks.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 15, 2025
Brenna Owen, The Canadian Press
