17 suspects arrested after string of violent extortions targeting South Asian business owners

Police will be providing an update on a major extortion investigation involving South Asian business owners in Brampton and Mississauga.

Peel police say they have arrested 17 suspects linked to a string of violent extortion incidents that predominantly targeted members of the South Asian business community in Brampton, Caledon and Mississauga.

A total of 106 criminal charges have been laid in connection with the joint investigation, which was launched in December 2025 and involved the FBI, CBSA, OPP, and Surrey Police Service.

Victims in these incidents were threatened, and their businesses, which included restaurants and trucking companies, were shot at and set on fire, Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah said at a news conference on Monday.

“The violence was not random,” he noted. “They were specifically targeted and escalated over time.”

Duraiappah said the 17 accused have been connected to 24 incidents.

“This investigation is far beyond Peel. It has ties to British Columbia… as well as the United States and India," he said, adding that one suspect was linked to an attempted homicide in India.

Six of the 17 charged may face immigration action, Duraiappah said.

“Outside the 17, there six additional (suspects) that have been detained by Canadian Border Services. Some of them have already been removed from Canada and two are in custody with CBSA,” he said.

Group responsible for hundreds of illegal firearm discharges: police

Deputy Chief Nick Milonovich said that members of this criminal network are believed to be responsible for roughly half of the 620 rounds discharged from illegal firearms in Peel Region this year.

“We believe we have made a significant dent in their ability to operate,” he said.

“Each bullet represents a life that could have been lost and a tremendous amount of fear and concern created in our community.”

Six firearms were seized as part of the investigation, Det. Brian Lorette, said at Monday’s news conference.

“Over the course of this investigation, we identified multiple groups, associates, and support persons operating with similar methods, some of whom had connections across several jurisdictions and ties to organized crime,” Lorette said.

“These groups used violent tactics repeatedly to target victims who refused to comply with extortion demands.”

Charges include 11 extortion-related charges, 75 firearms charges, as well as charges relating to arsons, conspiracy, and drug-related offences.

“One of the groups identified through this investigation is commonly known as the Four Brothers Gang whose members and associates were linked to several violent extortion-related offences, including shootings,” Lorette said.

The gang, police said, has been linked to 16 of the 24 violent incidents.

Five members or associates of that gang have been arrested, he added.

“The Four Brothers Gang remains a focus for investigators,” Lorette said.