Toronto, June 17 Just hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's arrival in Canada, the police have announced the arrest of 18 people in a takedown of a violent gang involving people of Indian descent that spread "fear and insecurity" among members of their own community who were the prime targets.
Peel Regional Police (PRP) Chief Nishan Duraiappah said the gang's actions escalated to "drive-by shootings, arsons, a variety of acts of violence".
They were arrested in "Operation Outsource" that was launched last year in response to "a significant number" of extortions and violence, according to PRP, whose jurisdiction covers three suburbs of Toronto.
All but one of the 18 arrested are of Indian descent.
Those arrested are facing 97 charges, and the police said they have recovered property worth more than $4.2 million, including firearms, bullets, bulletproof vests, crossbows, tasers, and stolen vehicles.
"In recent years, Peel Region has experienced a sharp rise in violent extortion attempts targeting South Asian business owners, including demands for large sums of money, threats for non-payment, and acts of violence, including drive-by shootings," the police said.
In response to these incidents, PRP established the Extortion Investigation Task Force in December 2023, according to the police.
A Joint Task Force investigation showed that "the criminal network operated with two distinct, but interconnected components: one dedicated to extortion and violence, and the other rooted in the towing industry," PRP said.
Police said the gang carried out "insurance fraud by staging vehicle collisions, and using threats, assaults, and firearms to exert control over local towing operations".
Police admission that the gang was allegedly involved in drive-by shootings is significant because several of this type of killings have been happening on both coasts of Canada, and former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's administration tried to blame some of them on Indian officials.
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