RCMP in British Columbia say they have arrested two people in connection with an investigation into extortion attempts in the Lower Mainland.
Police said they arrested the two suspects, both Surrey residents, on Thursday for firearms, arson and extortion-related offences in Surrey.
“There’s multiple incidents. The time frame is late 2023 to 2024, but there are actually several different incidents we believe this group was responsible for,” RCMP Lower Mainland District Assistant District Commander and Operations Officer Chief Superintendent Duncan Pound said Thursday.
The suspects remain in custody but have not been charged. Police have not released their identity, and would not answer questions about their age, gender or status in Canada.
The two suspects may be released without charges, he acknowledged, adding that Crown prosecutors must still approve charges.
“The goal of the arrests today was to gather additional information,” Pound said. “All of that will then be put together into a report to Crown counsel, we will work closely with the B.C. Prosecution Service, and they have already committed to making it a priority.”
Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke hailed the arrests in a social media post.
Get daily National news
“Our city has been under siege, and these actions send a powerful message that violence and criminal activity will not be tolerated in our community,” Locke wrote.
“I commend the RCMP for their vigilance and unwavering commitment to ensuring the safety and security of our residents.”
In June, the brazen murder of an Abbotsford man with no known criminal ties reignited extortion fears in the Lower Mainland.
Police across the Lower Mainland have been investigating a string of extortion attempts, primarily targeting the South Asian business community, since late 2023.
Since then, the number of reported extortion attempts and of violent incidents — including gunfire targeting homes — have piled up.
Pound revealed Thursday that Mounties have been coordinating those investigations under a new Joint Force Operation (JFO) led by the RCMP Lower Mainland District since the start of 2025.
The JFO is made up of veteran investigators from Federal, Surrey and BC RCMP units; the Abbotsford Police Department; and a crime analyst from the Surrey Police Service.
“This operational aspect is now wide open, and it had been kept under wraps in order to ensure the investigative objectives were able to be met,” he said.
“If you are involved in extortion, you should understand that across the Lower Mainland, law enforcement is making this a priority, and we are investigating, and we will not stop until we get to charges.”
Mounties are also again urging anyone who has been targeted by extortion attempts not to cooperate or give any money, and to report it immediately to police.
The Surrey Police Service launched its own counter-extortion unit last month, and says they have received 10 complaints over the last six months of people getting letters, phone calls or social media messages demanding money under threats of violence.
The B.C. government also recently earmarked $100,000 to help Crime Stoppers run an extortion awareness campaign.
Comments