Alleged gangster with warrants for extortion, conspiracy to commit murder arrested in Edmonton

The Edmonton Police Service headquarters in the city's downtown core. (Galen McDougall/CTV News Edmonton)

A man with suspected ties to an international criminal network targeting South Asian business owners in Ontario and the United States was arrested in Edmonton during a traffic stop.

The Edmonton Police Service (EPS) says Safaldeep Singh, 22, was arrested on May 4 after police stopped a Dodge Charger following reports of dangerous driving.

Police searched the vehicle and seized illegal drugs and a loaded gun.

Singh was arrested along with a 28-year-old man and another 22-year-old man who were in the vehicle.

All three were charged with drug trafficking and firearm related offences.

Police say Singh has ties to the For Brothers gang, which is linked to extortion schemes in the Greater Toronto Area and the U.S.

Search warrants were conducted at Singh’s home on May 28 and June 23 and police say evidence of vehicle re-vinning operations linked to extortion crimes was seized.

On June 23 Singh was charged with trafficking property obtained by a crime, possession of stolen property, and unauthorized possession of a firearm.

He was also arrested on Canada-wide warrants originating in Ontario for conspiracy to commit murder and extortion.

According to the Peel Regional Police, Singh is wanted in connection with two incidents in Brampton, Ont.

On April 21 a business was targeted in a shooting shortly before 3 a.m. No injuries were reported, but police recovered 14 shell casings at the scene.

On May 6 a man was approached by an unknown person as he was leaving his house around 8 p.m.

The person pointed a gun at the man, but it malfunctioned.

The victim was able to escape without injury.

After he was processed in Edmonton, Singh was transported to Ontario to face the charges in that region.

“The transient nature of this crime requires us to be in communication regularly and sharing intelligence back and forth, so we can enforce these individuals when they do show up in our jurisdiction,” Staff Sgt. Eric Stewart of the EPS investigations branch told reporters at a media event on Thursday.

“Right now, if you talk to any police agency, we’re all in on this, and we’re all working together to combat this.”

The investigation is part of Project Insight, the newest iteration of the EPS framework for investigating South Asian extortions.

EPS says a core component of the framework is real-time intelligence sharing to ensure a unified and timely response to threats across jurisdictions.

Officers worked with Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) as part of the investigation.

Kristine Conroy of CBSA says it has been working for multiple agencies as part of extortion investigations.

“As of June 18, 2026 the CBSA has opened 484 immigration investigations. We have issued 139 removal orders, and have removed 81 individuals from the country that have some nexus to extortion-related activities, specifically within the prairie region,” Conroy told reporters.

“Combating extortion remains a priority for the CBSA, and we will remain committed to sharing intelligence, conducting investigations, as well as arresting, detaining, and removing foreign nationals engaging in extortion-related activities.”

Conroy would not disclose Singh’s immigration status, citing privacy concerns.

Anyone targeted by extortion attempts, which typically involve threats or demands to make payments through messaging platforms like Whats App, 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; and
• 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.

Anyone with information about extortion crimes impacting the South Asian community is asked to contact EPS at 780-423-4567 or to make an anonymous call to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.