Surrey police say the number of extortion cases they’re investigating has nearly tripled since the start of June.
The Surrey Police Service (SPS) launched its own dedicated counter-extortion team in early June.
At the time, the SPS had 10 extortion files on the docket from this year; since then, the number has climbed to 26.
SPS Sgt. Tige Pollock said the number doesn’t represent a “spike,” adding that some of the reports are for incidents that may not have happened recently.
But he said it does suggest that victims are getting more comfortable talking to police.
“There was a public forum that was held by some community members, the province has provided some money to Crime Stoppers for an extortion tip line, as well as Surrey Police Service has rolled out its own extortion investigation team,” he said.
“I think these factors help in the public feeling comfortable coming forward, and when they understand that police are taking this seriously, then they feel comfortable to report.”
Shootings and other violent incidents linked — or suspected of links — to extortion have rattled the Lower Mainland, and particularly the South Asian business community.
In June, an Abbotsford man with no known criminal ties was gunned down in his Surrey office, further stoking fears.
Earlier this month, RCMP announced it had arrested two Surrey residents in connection with firearms, arson and extortion-related offences, but no one has been charged.
That has drawn frustration from some in the community who point to the arrest and charge of multiple people in Alberta and Ontario communities also plagued by extortionists.
In Edmonton, police held a town hall on Monday night, warning of a second wave of extortion cases and calling it a resurgence.
Interim Chief of police Warren Driechel said the attacks in Edmonton had stopped after several suspects were arrested in 2024 in connection to about 40 extortions and arsons targeting affluent South Asian homebuilders and business owners.
But since May, he said six more similar cases have been reported, leading investigators to believe the attacks are back and that there may be more victims.
The RCMP formed the National Coordination and Support Team (NCST) last year, with the goal of supporting extortion investigations across the country.
Supt Adam MacIntosh, officer in charge of the NCST, said it is critical that victims report all extortion attempts to police, and that above all, they don’t pay.
“The fact that they (the extortions) are continuing supports that people are paying, and the reason for that is because the organized crime groups involved are making money, and they wouldn’t be making money and it wouldn’t be continuing if it wasn’t lucrative,” he said.
“It’s a scary position to be in as an individual, as a member of a family, to be facing threats. But we need people to understand that they need to overcome that fear and report to us what’s occurring.“
— with files from the Canadian Press