Surrey, B.C.’s mayor and police chief have introduced a $250,000 reward fund for information leading to successful convictions in extortion cases primarily affecting South Asian businesses in the area. Mayor Brenda Locke emphasized the city’s commitment to combatting extortion during a press conference at city hall.
The initiative comes in response to a surge in extortion incidents targeting members of the South Asian community in Surrey and across Canada, where businesses are coerced into paying money under the threat of violence. Currently, the Surrey Police Service is actively investigating 44 extortion cases and 27 associated shootings within the city.
Chief Constable Norm Lipinski stated that the reward aims to encourage individuals to provide specific evidence to aid in investigations, ultimately resulting in the apprehension, prosecution, and conviction of perpetrators. Tips can be reported via the Surrey extortion tip line at 236-485-5149.
In a separate event in June, local businesses, officials, and law enforcement convened to discuss strategies for addressing the issue of extortion. Additionally, the B.C. government initiated a public awareness campaign in the same month, urging extortion victims to report threats and violence to the authorities or anonymously to Crime Stoppers.
Moreover, in 2024, the RCMP implemented a national team dedicated to coordinating investigations and intelligence sharing regarding extortion schemes targeting South Asian businesses in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario.