5 more people arrested in extortion-related incidents in Peel Region

A Peel Police shoulder patch is seen in Mississauga, Ont., on Saturday, July 1, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Arlyn McAdorey

Five more people have been arrested in connection with extortion-related incidents that targeted South Asian businesses in Brampton and Mississauga.

Peel Regional Police announced the arrests in a news release on Wednesday afternoon. They have now arrested 21 people and laid 154 charges as part of their Extortion Investigative Task Force (EITF), launched in 2023.

“Victims of these incidents are often contacted through social media platforms, such as WhatsApp and Facebook, which allow online chat groups,” police said.

They alleged the suspects would demand large sums of money from victims under the threat of violence.

“These incidents have included damage to property, threats of violence, and firearm-related offences,” police said.

Names of suspects released

Three of the five suspects are from Brampton, while the other two are from Hamilton and British Columbia, respectively.

They have been identified as 25-year-old Harmanjit Singh, 44-year-old Tejinder Tatla, 21-year-old Rukhsar Achakzai, 24-year-old Dinesh Kumar and 27-year-old Bandhumaan Sekhon. They are facing a total of 16 charges.

“The EITF continues to work closely with law enforcement partners across Canada and the U.S. to investigate these incidents, and we anticipate our efforts will lead to further arrests and charges,” Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah said in a video statement.

“Anyone who receives a demand for money under the threat of violence is urged not to make any form of payment and to call the police immediately.”

The investigations have also led to the seizure of 20 firearms, 11 kilograms of meth, more than $10,000 in proceeds of crime, and the recovery of six stolen vehicles.