Canada arrests 5 Indians in extortion case; one lured from India, held at airport

Five Indian nationals were arrested and charged in Canada in connection with an alleged extortion and violence case, with one of them, 23-year-old Sanket Singla, lured from India to Canada and arrested at Toronto airport, police said.

Langley detachment of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) started investigation in June 2025, when co-owners of an auto dealership in the town of Langley in British Columbia reported they were “victims of significant extortion demands.”

The business was targeted twice in attacks involving arson and shootings at its Surrey and Langley locations. “This underscores the serious nature of the threats and the violence associated with this criminal activity,” a release from Langley RCMP on Friday said.

Through a dedicated project team and extensive operations across Canada and internationally, investigators identified a group allegedly involved in extortions, trafficking prohibited firearms, and trafficking controlled substances, it added.

Among those charged is Sanket Singla (23), who was in India when investigators identified his alleged role in the matter. Working in coordination with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), and international RCMP Liaison Officers, investigators “facilitated a controlled operation” that caused Singla “to enter Canada”, leading to his arrest on October 1.

The other four were arrested in Surrey and remain in custody. They were identified as Sahil (24), Simranjeet Singh (24) and Harsh (21), all residents of Surrey, and Jagdeep Singh, from Ottawa.

The charges they face include extortion, recklessly discharging a firearm, causing damage by fire or explosion to property, throwing an explosive substance with the intent to destroy or damage property, and unauthorized transfer of a prohibited firearm, among others.

The investigation resulted in the seizure of numerous dangerous items, including four firearms, assorted ammunition and magazines, and illicit substances such as suspected fentanyl, cocaine and opium, Langley RCMP said, adding that evidence was obtained pertaining to the possible involvement of other suspects in extortions and acts of violence committed in communities across British Columbia and Alberta.

The investigation was dubbed Project E_PURSUANCE and was a joint-force operation led by the Langley RCMP, with significant support from the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of British Columbia and the RCMP’s Federal Policing Pacific Region through the BC Provincial Extortion Task Force.

“I want to sincerely thank the victims for their courage in coming forward, their support throughout the investigation, and the trust they placed in us to thoroughly investigate this matter and bring it before the courts,” Superintendent Harm Dosanje, Officer in Charge of Langley RCMP, said.