Police are prioritizing getting extortionists targeting Edmonton’s South Asian community deported, rather than charged. On Thursday in Alberta’s capital city, authorities announced they had arrested five people, two of which have been removed from Canada following an investigation by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). One was a 22-year-old man who investigators called a “local ringleader.” The other was a 25-year-old man. CBSA is still investigating the other three. Police have connected all of the five to extortions in Calgary, the B.C. Lower Mainland, and Ontario. “This strategy worked quickly. It eliminated the threat, ended the extortions by this group in the Edmonton area, and also prevented them from affecting other communities right across the country,” said Supt. Robinder Gill of the Edmonton Police Service’s criminal investigation division. With CBSA and other provincial partners, EPS has also identified another 51 suspects who may be tied to Edmonton’s extortion series. However, CBSA said it has 372 extortion-related immigration investigations open across the country. Its role is to look at whether suspects are in Canada without status or in violation of immigration conditions, and enforce removal orders. “Criminal matters always take precedence over immigration matters, meaning that foreign nationals charged with extortion crimes cannot be removed from Canada until criminal charges have been resolved, and if convicted, their criminal sentences have been served. The CBSA can, though, initiate immigration enforcement steps, such as securing removal orders, while a convicted person is serving their sentence,” said Kristine Conroy, CBSA’s prairie region inland enforcement manager. As of March 12, CBSA had issued 70 removal orders, half of which had been executed. In the case of the two Edmonton men who were deported, CBSA detained both in November. The agency says Arshdeep Sing entered Canada on a study permit in 2022 and was found inadmissible on the grounds of organized criminality by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) in December. He was removed from Canada on Jan. 19. Sukhnaaz Singh Sandhu entered Canada as a temporary resident in 2016. He was also investigated for organized criminality and removed from Canada on Feb. 3. Their home countries were not named. ‘Public safety is first and foremost’ Edmonton police began investigating arsons and shootings related to extortions in 2023. Project Gaslight, as EPS called this initial investigation, ended with six arrests and warrants issued for a seventh, suspected gang leader Maninder Dhaliwal, who at the time was in custody in the United Arab Emirates on unrelated charges. However, according to Gill, the extortions only stopped for about seven months until the spring of 2025, when EPS teamed up with other police agencies. EPS confirmed it believes shootings in Parkland County are related to the extortions, but not a recent rash of infill housing fires in Edmonton. “When you have such high stakes and dynamics, and public safety is first and foremost, and you have complainants that are being terrorized in many ways through the actions of these individuals, you try to figure out how you can nullify and eliminate that threat,” Gill told reporters. “In some cases, what we’ll do is we will leave the charges and we’ll look to deal with them in the justice system. In other cases, we’ll look at the deportation piece.” He also pointed out that criminal charges and the ensuing judicial process is much lengthier. “That’s what you need to balance when you’re taking a look at that public safety,” Gill said. Police believe deportation may also hurt recruitment efforts by the criminal organizers. They say they are still investigating the grand orchestrator. “The notion that people are being removed from the country, potentially not being able to return – that sends a very important message,” said Lower Mainland District RCMP Chief Supt. Duncan Pound. ‘A version of justice’ Dan Jones, a criminologist with Norquest College and a former EPS inspector, called prioritizing deporting suspects over charging them an interesting strategy. He acknowledged it is “a very fast way of doling out a version of justice,” albeit one that seems to circumvent the Canadian system’s presumption of innocence until proven guilty. He also had questions about its long-term efficacy. “Are these individuals going to be able to come back to Canada because they were deported but there were no charges laid and they are not convicted of anything?” he asked. “And then does that violence start again? … If it doesn’t, and this works, then it’s a successful tool. We just have to wait and see a little bit and see if this doesn’t maintain the peace and order that they’ve so far achieved.” Message to community To foreign workers and international students, who constitute the majority of people who have been recruited by the extortion organizers, Gill said: “Do not let these criminals steal your future.” “They offer a false sense of belonging, but the reality is they see you as disposable tools. They will pose as your brothers, but make no mistake: They are your bosses. You will have the least amount to gain, and you carry the greatest risk.” The authorities said they are also exploring preventative action, like education for newcomers, something similar to B.C.’s End Gang Life program, and partnerships with post-secondary schools. To the South Asian community, as well as other communities who have been targeted elsewhere in Canada, Gill promised this work remained a priority. He also urged the importance of an extortion victim contacting police immediately and keeping any possible evidence. “Speed is crucial. Police are limited by what we can do if it’s not reported.” With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Amanda Anderson RELATED STORIES:
