In May of 2025, members of the EPS Edmonton Drug and Gang Enforcement (EDGE) Unit launched an investigation into a series of violent extortion incidents targeting South Asian business owners in Edmonton. Around the same time, the Alberta RCMP began investigating similar incidents occurring in detachment areas surrounding the city. Police had begun to see a small resurgence in these extortion incidents after Project Gaslight concluded in 2024 with the arrest of six people and warrants issued for a seventh.
The 2025 investigations prompted the creation of a joint forces operation with the RCMP under the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT), supported by the CBSA.
As a result of the investigation and in collaboration with RCMP, five suspects operating in the Edmonton area were identified, including the local ringleader, a 22-year-old male, and another 25-year-old male. Some of these suspects were also found to have connections to extortions in Calgary, the B.C. Lower Mainland and Ontario.
The individuals were referred to the CBSA, which initiated immigration investigations. The 22-year-old ringleader and the other 25-year-old male were subsequently determined to be inadmissible to Canada and, as a result, they were removed from Canada. The other three individuals remain under immigration investigation by the CBSA.
An additional 51 suspects have been linked to the criminal network involved in the extortions, and police continue investigative and enforcement efforts targeting these subjects. Cases will continue to be referred to the CBSA for relevant immigration-related matters.
As a result of the investigation, police also seized four vehicles and nine firearms.
“The fact that these extortions continue to inflict violence and fear on Edmonton’s South Asian community is unacceptable, and will not be tolerated,” says Acting Staff Sergeant Darren Coon, with the EPS EDGE Unit. “Our joint forces operation continues to collaborate with other law enforcement partners and CBSA to share intelligence, identify the suspects and remove them from the country.”
“The complex nature of organized crime investigation relies on police agencies working together to share intelligence and enforcement strategies. The number of arrests, charges and removal orders highlight each law enforcement agency’s commitment to collaboratively address this ongoing issue, and we will continue to work together to do what is needed to disrupt these criminal networks and restore community safety locally, provincially or federally” says Insp. Brad Mandrusiak – ALERT Edmonton.
“In cooperation with our law enforcement partners, the CBSA’s Intelligence and Inland Enforcement teams play a critical role in disrupting organized transnational criminal groups,” says CBSA’s Prairie Region Director General, Janalee Bell-Boychuk. “We will continue to investigate and pursue the swift removal of individuals who abuse Canada’s immigration system and who compromise the safety of our communities. The public can report suspicious immigration activities through the Border Watch Line or by calling 1-888-502-9060.”
“Individuals and groups who commit extortion-related crimes and threaten the safety of our communities are not restricted by provincial borders,” says Chief Superintendent Duncan Pound, Assistant District Commander and Operations Officer, Lower Mainland District RCMP. “These investigations are complex, and by working with law enforcement partners across the country, the BC Provincial Extortion Task Force will continue timely information sharing and coordinated enforcement efforts. Our commitment to working with law enforcement, partner agencies and our communities will continue to support operations as we work to identify offenders, protect victims, and advance each investigation.”
Police urge anyone who is targeted by extortion attempts, which typically involve threats or demands to make payment using messaging platforms like WhatsApp, to take the following steps:
- Do not respond to the threatening communication.
- Preserve evidence by taking screen shots of incoming calls or messages.
- Contact police immediately.
- If you are concerned for your immediate safety, find a safe place to stay, such as a friend or family member’s home, until police can reach you.
Investigators also note that these criminal networks recruit newly-arrived, young South Asian foreign workers and students, not just as extorters or perpetrators of violence, but also as participants in less overt criminal activities. For example, students or foreign workers are recruited into fraudulent schemes such as filing false vehicle theft reports, meanwhile turning their vehicle over to the criminal network.
“We want these potential recruits to know that whether you are the one directing extortions, communicating extortions, committing arsons or other violent acts, or engaging in fraud, police can arrest you,” says Staff Sergeant Coon. “Claiming ignorance is not a defense, and you could face criminal charges, jail time, and/or removal from the country.”