Peel police make five arrests in 'violent extortion incidents'

Peel police have made five arrests in connection with a series of “violent extortion incidents."

Police say that the incidents took place between December, 2023 and May of this year and involved the extortion of numerous victims.

Police allege that the extortion incidents saw victims assaulted and threatened in Peel Region and elsewhere in the Greater Toronto Area. There have also been reports of firearms being discharged, police say.

The latest arrests were made by investigators with the Peel Police 21 Division Criminal Investigations Bureau.

Dupinderdeep Cheema, 36, from Brampton, Beant Dhillon, 51 from Brampton, Arundeep Thind, 39, Mustapha Alawiye, 32, from Mississauga, and Kymani Hassakourinas, 32, from Mississauga, are facing a combined 14 offences in connection with the investigation.

For a full list of the charges the suspects are facing follow this link.

Peel police previously launched a task force in December into a number of extortion incidents targeting the South Asian business community, including one in which a suspect opened fire on a business in Brampton.

It is not clear whether these arrests have any connection to the incidents that prompted the formation of the task force.

“Peel Regional Police will continue working to disrupt and dismantle criminal groups that harm our communities,” Deputy Chief Marc Andrews said in a video update posted to social media on Friday. “If anyone has any information about these incidents please contact the 21 Division Criminal Investigations Bureau or if you wish to stay anonymous Peel Crimestoppers.”