In British Columbia, Canada, growing demands have emerged to classify extortion as a terrorism offence under the Criminal Code, as an escalating extortion crisis continues to target Punjabi-origin business owners and now members of the legal community. Lawyers across the province recently received threatening calls demanding large sums of money, prompting the Law Society of BC to issue an urgent warning on November 14.
Conservative MLA and lawyer Steve Kooner called the threats a “disturbing escalation,” arguing that attacks on legal professionals—“officers of the court”—represent a direct assault on the justice system. He urged the federal government to elevate extortion to terrorism-level criminality.
Punjabis have been both the primary victims and alleged perpetrators of these incidents. The crisis, which began in late 2023, surged through 2025, with more than 100 reported cases across Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. Surrey alone reported 95 extortion complaints and 45 related shootings by November.
Criminal groups, often linked to Punjabi-origin gangs such as the Bishnoi network—designated a terrorist group in 2025—use encrypted apps to issue threats demanding cryptocurrency. Non-compliance has resulted in arson attempts, drive-by shootings, and violent intimidation. The campaign of fear has heavily impacted sectors like trucking, hospitality, and real estate, largely run by Punjabi immigrants.
RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme revealed evidence suggesting involvement of Indian government-linked operatives in orchestrating violence on Canadian soil, further intensifying diplomatic strain. Several high-profile victims, including Surrey temple president Satish Kumar and businessman Arshdeep Singh Arora, have publicly demanded stronger action after repeated attacks.
The Canada Border Services Agency deported three foreign nationals on November 7 for participating in the extortion network. Meanwhile, Crime Stoppers launched bilingual (English-Punjabi) campaigns to encourage anonymous tips.
To combat the crisis, BC launched a 40-member Extortion Task Force on September 17, combining RCMP, municipal police forces, CFSEU-BC, and CBSA. Backed by $100 million in provincial anti-gang funding and $11 million in federal support, it aims to dismantle organized transnational networks that have turned extortion into a public safety emergency.
