Canadian police in Ontario have arrested 17 individuals linked to an international criminal network called 'For Brothers', which systematically extorted South Asian business owners and community members across Brampton, Mississauga, Caledon, and British Columbia, with alleged cross-border ties to California. The Peel Regional Police Extortion Task Force announced the arrests on Monday, 25 May 2025, calling it the dismantling of a coordinated campaign of intimidation, threats, and escalating violence.

Scale of the Operation

The joint investigation, launched in December 2025, brought together Peel Regional Police, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC). The multi-agency task force linked the 17 accused to 24 incidents in total, of which 16 were classified as violent — including arson and multiple shootings in which 324 rounds were discharged. The accused collectively face 106 criminal charges.

Targets and Tactics

According to the police statement, several businesses — including restaurants and trucking companies — were repeatedly targeted after refusing to comply with extortion demands. In one particularly alarming incident, investigators allege two of the accused carried out a shooting and arson at a residential address in Caledon, followed within minutes by a second shooting targeting a business in Brampton. The group's tactics reportedly escalated in violence each time businesses resisted their demands.

In April 2026, investigators executed a series of search warrants across multiple locations, resulting in the arrest of the 17 men. During the operation, police seized six firearms, illicit drugs, multiple cell phones, SIM cards, and fraudulent identification documents.

The Accused

The 17 men named by Peel Regional Police are: Iqbal Singh Bhagria, 25, of Brampton; Akashdeep Singh, 24, of Norval; Ravinder Singh, 25, of Surrey, B.C.; Jashanbir Singh, 21, of Surrey, B.C.; Dilawarpreet Singh, 26, of Brampton; Mandeep Singh, 21, of Brampton; Prabhdeep Sohal, 22, of Brampton; Partapbir Ghuman, 22, of Brampton; Ajaydeep Singh, 29, of Brampton; Navroop Singh, 24, of Brampton; Rajan Singh, 28, of Barrie; Amritjot Singh, 22, of Brampton; Jashanpreet Singh, 22, of Brampton; Guneet Guneet, 27, of Brampton; Sukhwinder Singh, 32, of Brampton; Mohinder Singh, 30, of Brampton; and Gautam Gautam, 22, of Manteca, California. Police noted that six of the individuals charged may face immigration consequences, including possible removal from Canada, once their criminal proceedings conclude.

What the Police Chief Said

Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah described the arrests as a product of sustained cross-jurisdictional cooperation. 'Extortion is not confined to one region but connected both nationally and internationally. Addressing it requires strong cross-border collaboration and intelligence-sharing among agencies,' he said. Duraiappah acknowledged the fear caused within the South Asian community and pledged continued action.

India-Canada Security Ties and the Broader Context

The arrests come amid a broader shift in India-Canada bilateral relations, which had deteriorated sharply following the Nijjar controversy. India's High Commissioner to Canada, Dinesh K Patnaik, said in an interview that security cooperation between the two countries had improved significantly in recent months. 'There is closed cooperation in every sector especially the security issues,' he said, noting that national security advisors, police forces, and investigating agencies were now in regular dialogue and conducting joint operations.

Patnaik acknowledged that extremist elements remained present in Canada but argued they had been pushed to the fringe, crediting Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's administration with a more proactive stance. He alleged that many such networks had evolved from ideological operations into profit-driven criminal enterprises. 'They're making money out of it. It became a thing, which is more of an economic activity than an ideological activity,' he said, citing gun running, drug smuggling, people trafficking, and extortion as key activities. Despite past tensions, Patnaik said bilateral ties were now 'in a good space.'

This development is the latest in Canada's ongoing crackdown on organised criminal networks, including groups accused of running operations with links to pro-Khalistan elements — a longstanding concern for New Delhi. With 17 arrests, 106 charges, and six deportation reviews underway, authorities on both sides will be watching how the prosecutions unfold.