gangs using indian international students as 'money mules' in canada's extortion crimes, new report finds
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a bullet hole in a window at the scene of an extortion-related shooting in surrey in october 2025.
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the bishnoi gang may not be the only criminal organization involved in extortion crimes in canada, according to a new federal report.
the report, from ottawa’s money-tracking agency fintrac, also states that international students from india facing financial pressure are being used as “money mules” in extortion crimes.
“for me, this report is a very expensive ‘i told you so,’ because we should’ve been on this months ago because we knew this was happening and it’s what the community has been saying,” said mohkam singh malik, a member of surrey’s livability, social equity and public safety committee.
fintrac released a special bulletin that provides insight into who is committing extortion violence in canada and also how much is being paid out by victims.
the report says the majority of extortion crimes appear to be tied to criminal organizations. the bishnoi gang, long rumoured to be involved in the extortion shootings in surrey and having taken credit for some as well, may not be the only india-based group involved.
the bambiha gang, a rival to the bishnoi gang, has been involved in extortion, contract violence and large‑scale protection rackets, according to fintrac.
the report says indian male nationals are being used as “foot soldiers” and are acting on behalf of criminal networks.
“the mobility of suspects reinforces the assessment that these networks operate across geographic boundaries. this adaptability allows offenders to exploit co-ordination gaps, making it difficult for authorities to contain their activities,” the report says.
some financial patterns indicate that many victims — who are punjabi-canadian business owners in b.c., alberta, manitoba and ontario — are still paying the extortionists.
mohkam singh malik is a member of surrey’s livability, social equity and public safety committee.
arlen redekop
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targets of extortion threats are typically contacted anonymously through calls or messages over encrypted chat applications, and large payments are demanded. if the individual does not comply, gunfire at their homes or businesses follows. in recent surrey cases, there have also been arsons.
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so far this year, there have been 87 extortions reported to surrey police. of those, 15 involved shootings and two were arsons, with a total of 46 victims impacted. of the total victims, 25 of them had previously been victims of extortion.
“continued efforts are also needed to reduce the stigma and fear that prevent victims from seeking help. these are factors that offenders increasingly rely on to maintain their influence and avoid detection,” fintrac says.
victims are still paying extortionists, the report states, often in smaller amounts than initially demanded, which suggests they are negotiating more realistic payoffs. some victims may also be paying out the money in several transactions over a period of time.
“just because the shootings have slowed down doesn’t mean the fear has stopped,” says malik, who hears from community members consistently about the extortion violence in surrey.
“a lot of people feel like this is the new normal, and i hate to say that.”
the payments are reportedly being delivered through email transfers, cheques, cryptocurrency or cash deliveries arranged under duress.
“some have reportedly liquidated assets or moved capital abroad out of fear for their safety, a reaction that both disrupts local economic activity and interferes with the visibility of funds that might otherwise assist investigative tracing,” fintrac says.
extortionists are most likely engaging in money laundering, with some suspects reportedly being seen processing email money transfers, cheques and cash deposits in volumes and values unrealistic for a student.
fintrac has found that many individuals involved in extortion who are depositing the money at banks are between 17 and 28 years old, hold indian passports, and are international students at a college, and often use aliases.
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the centre is asking for more suspicious transaction reports to be made to tackle the extortion crisis.
malik says the community would like to see more done.
“let’s tighten those financial regulations, let’s tighten those visa requirements, and let’s appoint the national czar to co-ordinate this, that’s what i want from the federal government,” he says.
“from the provincial government and municipal police board, we want them to put a greater emphasis on protecting small-business owners, and that means things like proactive patrols and better community supports, more investments in safety features. we can’t take our foot off the gas.”
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