SURREY — The federal and provincial governments have announced $1 million in funding for police to support extortion victims in British Columbia.
Premier David Eby told a meeting of police and local, provincial and federal politicians in Surrey, B.C., where many cases have been reported, that the funding will allow for police communication with victims and even help those people make a safety plan, if needed.
There are 90 investigations underway connected to the extortion file, and Eby says a task force appointed to counter the crimes is the largest in provincial history, and the first that involves the Canada Border Services Agency.
The premier told the gathering that the extortion threats are terrifying to families and tear the fabric of the community when people don’t have the basic expectation of safety in their homes, at work and on the streets.
He says he knows there’s a huge level of anxiety in the community, but progress is being made and there is an “unprecedented amount of work underway.”
The extortions, mostly aimed at business people in the South Asian community, have resulted in dozens of reported shootings in Surrey and Abbotsford, and some have been linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi crime group based in India.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 28, 2025.
The Canadian Press
