Peel Region Police have arrested and charged another individual following reported extortion incidents in Peel.
Hitesh Bansal, a 33-year-old from Brampton, has been charged with three counts of Extortion. He was held in custody pending a bail hearing at the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton.
On Sunday, February 11, 2024, the Extortion Investigative Task Force began investigating allegations that a former employee of a Brampton business owner began threatening violence towards the owner, their family, and staff if they continued to operate.
The accused claimed to have ties to the mob and that they would force the victim to shut down their business. The threats were made via phone calls and text messages.
The EITF quickly identified the accused, and on Monday, February 12, 2024, he was arrested in the City of Hamilton.
EITF recently arrested and charged many individuals including two women due to their alleged involvement in extortion attempts against members of the region’s South Asian community.
Task force lead Supt. Shelley Thompson said of the 29 cases under investigation, nine incidents have involved shootings at local businesses, with multiple bullets being fired. No injuries have been reported. She said it was important to encourage the community to come forward and report extortions. She informed me that the businesses that are being victimized are South Asian-owned and mostly but not limited to restaurants, bakeries, trucking, transport, car dealerships, and jewelry stores.
Gagan Ajit Singh, Anmoldeep Singh, a 23-year-old man from Mississauga, Hashmeet Kaur, a Iymanjot Kaur, were arrested and charged.
Since October 2023, police in the Lower Mainland and other provinces have been receiving reports of small businesses facing threats through phone calls, WhatsApp messages, and letters, compelling them to provide monetary concessions. Surrey had 3 confirmed cases, with the cities of West Vancouver, Abbotsford, Edmonton (Alberta), and Brampton (Ontario) also confirming similar threats.
In an open letter published earlier this month, Brown and Surrey, B.C. Mayor Brenda Locke expressed “deep concern” over the growing number of “extortion attempts and violent acts, including shootings” in the two cities.
“This alarming development underscores the severity and widespread nature of these threats, which are predominantly targeting members of the South Asian business community. Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and local police departments including Peel Regional Police, have acknowledged the gravity of the situation,” the letter read.
Anyone with information or who is a victim of an extortion related offence, is asked to contact the Extortion Investigative Task Force at 1-866-966-0616 or by email at [email protected]
Information may also be left anonymously by calling Peel Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or by visiting peelcrimestoppers.ca.
Brampton employee Charged for threatening owner with Extortion threats
