Peel Region Police in Ontario have busted a violent criminal organization of 19 people, including a woman, that attempted to extort hundreds of thousands of dollars from members of the community and defraud insurance companies by staging collisions across GTA roadways.
16 out of this large group are South Asian origin men who are facing a total of nearly 100 charges in the probe, which was launched in July 2024. Alarmingly most of them are repeat offenders.
The investigation named Project Outsource has recovered more than $4.2 million in assets. In July 2024, Project Outsource was launched to investigate a criminal organization believed to be behind a significant number of extortion incidents and related acts of violence. As the investigation progressed, it became clear that the criminal network operated with two distinct, but interconnected components: one dedicated to extortion and violence, and the other rooted in the towing industry.
According to Peel Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah alarmingly all most of them are repeat offenders. He has called for immediate bail reforms to stop such criminal activities. “This investigation has delivered a significant blow to a well-organized criminal network that has been spreading fear and violence in our communities. These individuals and their actions have no place here, and they will be held fully accountable. Alarmingly, nearly half of those arrested were already on some form of judicial release at the time — once again raising serious concerns about repeat offenders and the urgent need for bail reform,” said Duraiappah.
Several suspects were found to be associated with towing companies operating under the names Certified Roadside and Humble Roadside. Investigators uncovered evidence that these individuals were engaged in insurance fraud by staging vehicle collisions, and using threats, assaults, and firearms to exert control over local towing operations.
The accused face a total of 97 criminal charges related to criminal organization, extortion, fraud, firearms, and more.
Three individuals were charged and released to attend court at a later date, while 15 were held for a bail hearing at the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton. Of the 18, almost half were on a form of judicial release at the time of arrest.
Over the course of the investigation, the following assets were seized: 18 tow trucks, with a total value $2.8M, Four personal vehicles, with a total value of $840K, Five stolen vehicles recovered, with a total value $571K, Six firearms, 586 rounds of ammunition, Two bulletproof vests and Various weapons, including cross bow, taser, baseball bats.
Project Outsource was a Joint Forces Operation with Peel Regional Police, Ontario Provincial Police, Halton Regional Police, York Regional Police, and Toronto Police Service. The successful completion of this investigation was made possible through funding from the Government of Ontario, Ministry of the Solicitor General, in which the Criminal Intelligence Service Ontario supported this Joint Forces investigation.
The investigation was conducted with the assistance of other GTA police forces, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). “The success of Project Outsource sends a clear message: criminal organizations that use violence, fear and fraud to prey on our communities will be identified, investigated, and dismantled. Our government is proud to have supported Peel Regional Police through investments into Criminal Intelligence Service Ontario and commends all law enforcement partners involved in this operation. We will always support the brave men and women who protect Ontario and keep our communities safe by providing them with the tools and intelligence needed to hold violent offenders accountable,” said Michael S. Kerzner, Solicitor General of Ontario.
In recent years, Peel Region has experienced a sharp rise in violent extortion attempts targeting South Asian business owners, including demands for large sums of money, threats for non-payment, and acts of violence, including drive-by shootings. In response to these incidents, Peel Regional Police established the Extortion Investigation Task Force in December 2023.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation or has been a victim of similar acts of extortion is asked to contact Peel Regional Police at (905) 453-3131. Information may also be left anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or visiting www.peelcrimestoppers.ca.
