Criminal Extortion, Shooting Threats, Arson in Surrey, B.C.

"Three suspects arrested in connection with a recent extortion-related crime are waiting another week for a full appearance in Provincial Court in Surrey. Harjot Singh, Taranveer Singh and Dayajeet Singh Billing, all between the ages of 19 and 21, appeared in court briefly Thursday morning. The full hearing has now been pushed back a week at the request of the accused’s lawyer."

"The three men were arrested by anti-extortion control Sunday after bullets were fired at a home. They have been in custody since. Each has been charged with one count of discharging a firearm."

"The latest incident shines light on the 46 extortion cases Surrey Police say they are investigating so far this year. The British Columbia Extortion Task Force says there were 32 active files across the Lower Mainland as of last month."

"Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke was in Ottawa this week to seek more help from the feds on extortion-related crimes in her community. She says she is behind efforts to amend Canada’s laws to stop people charged with extortion-related crimes from seeking asylum."

"The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) said in December that 15 foreigners facing extortion charges had applied for refugee status in Canada. CBSA said it is unclear under what pretenses the three men charged Sunday are in the country, but that it has started an investigation into their status."

Vancouver City News, February 5, 2026 

Harjot Singh, Taranveer Singh and Dayajeet Billing have been identified as the three foreign national men charged after an alleged extortion-related shooting in Surrey, B.C., on Sunday. (Surrey Police Service)

 

An extortion czar was appointed this week by British Columbia Premier David Eby to address the problem of violent extortion wracking the Surrey suburb of Vancouver. The appointee is a former RCMP officer, Paul Dadwal, now in charge of a new community advisory committee to "close any gap between community members and police" in addressing frequent episodes of businesses in the province shaken down for protection money from gangsters. 

 

The federal government back in September placed the Lawrence Bishnoi gang -- an organized criminal group from India linked to many of the extortions -- on Canada's terrorist list. Canada's Public Safety Ministry advanced two RCMP helicopters in an effort to assist in combating the crisis. That crisis inspired Surrey City Council to place their community under  a state of emergency as foreign criminals exploit an overwhelmed Canadian immigration system.

 

Judging from the age of the three arrested criminals above, they entered Canada on student visas from India. It is a well known fact that thousands of young people from India obtain student visas to study at Canadian academic institutions, but never show up for classes and authorities have no idea where they end up. With an estimated 30% of the Surrey population originally from India, this is a demographic that has been relentlessly preyed upon by unscrupulous criminals entering Canada from India through Canada's well-known porous immigration system.

 

Around two dozen people turned out for the protest. (Ben Nelms/CBC)

 

The fearful embattled Indian-Canadian population in Surrey has called out for active and meaningful protection against these gangs. Plagued by threats, shootings and arsons, the criminals predominantly target the South Asian community. Crudely worded messages are sent to people and businesses, demanding cash from homes or businesses. Violence is the penalty for money not received. This menace to society's security in Surrey began in 2023.

 

Back then, the RCMP in British Columbia circulated an example of a typical extortion letter: a sheet of paper with 'WARNING' headlining the note below. "we are Indian gang members, we want our share from your business like protection money. we have links all over do not ignore us, it will efect you realy bad." What the illiterate message lacks in authority it more than makes up for in follow-up violence.

 

Small business enterprises such as auto shops were the first to be targeted, and since then local media have also become targets. A shooting attack hit the studios of Surrey's Swift 1200 AM last September. With the New Year, attacks accelerated. There are instances where businesses have been peppered with gunshots at night. On a daily basis Surrey Police announce a new shooting, threat or arson attack perpetrated by extortionists. January alone saw 36 separate extortion attacks tracked by police. 

 

Losing faith in authorities addressing the problem of criminality that has affected their lives, members of the target community have occasionally attempted to take responsibility for their own safety, reportedly shooting back. Surrey Police last month announced that homeowners were believed to have fired at alleged extortionists causing an investigation to be launched for 'vigilantism'.

 

An inefficient justice system and lax immigration have produced a double-pronged advantage for these criminal elements, who easily slip by immigration through Canada's well-known inefficiency in putting a stop to false refugee claims, and its penchant for handing out visas without due background checks, alongside a justice system that seems to favour allowing bail  to criminals who simply turn around and continue their criminal activities.

In what may be an extortion related shooting, bullet holes are visible on a window of the Big Bazaar Indian grocery store at 8112 120th Street in Surrey on Wednesday morning Photo by Jason Payne /PNG

 

In December, as an example, all 15 Indian nationals that police had arrested in Surrey suspected of extortion-related crimes immediately resorted to claiming refugee status, knowingly exploiting Canada's asylum system. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada had promised that asylum claims would not shield criminals from punishment, yet found that due to the "system" in place, removal procedures for accused criminals remain hampered.

 

Suspects are known to have entered the country on student visas leading to a surge of temporary migration that immigration officials cannot keep up with, neglecting even the most basic screening. In 2022 study permit holders soared to 807,000 in number. Some Bishnoi Gang extortionists have been among the hundreds of thousands to enter Canada on student visas. In Guelph, Ontario an accused double murderer killed a couple in a robbery less than a month after his arrival as a student.

 

Two hitmen accused of carrying out a 2023 assassination of a Sikh nationalist in Surrey, had also entered Canada on student visas, which they had boasted of having "obtained in a few days". And when criminal activity results in the charging and arrest of criminal suspects, Canada's justice system doesn't hesitate to give them bail. "The fear in our community is because [perpetrators[ are not getting punished", explained Surrey protest organizer Rasinder Kaur. 

 

Three men have been charged after the shooting in Surrey's Crescent Beach neighbourhood early Sunday morning. (Shane MacKichan)