The Edmonton Police Service has arrested six suspects and issued Canada-wide warrants for the alleged leader of an extortion series known as Project Gaslight.
All six suspects arrested are between the ages of 17 and 21. The six who have been arrested, plus the suspected leader, Maninder Singh Dhaliwal, face 54 charges, including extortion, arson, assault with a weapon, and other charges relating to association with a criminal organization targeting South Asian business owners in Edmonton.
The six adults arrested include one permanent resident, two Indian nationals, and three Canadian citizens.
Edmonton Police Chief Dale McFee said Friday that anyone participating in the extortion scheme will be tracked down and held accountable to the full extent of the law.
“We’re going to find them. The reality is you can’t hide. We’ve got police right across internationally, nationally, and certainly locally, and we’re all interconnected,” said McFee.
Edmonton police believe that Dhaliwal has altered his appearance. His whereabouts are unknown and many of the incidents were orchestrated from India, they said.
The six arrests Thursday involved 100 officers, including three tactical teams, RCMP investigators, and search and arrest teams.
Project Gaslight is being led by the Edmonton drug and gang enforcement section, with national and international collaboration.
“The sheer volume of evidence and information they have reviewed to get to this point is simply staggering. The fact that we are here today to talk about seven accused and 54 charges only months into such a complex investigation is a very encouraging sign,” said McFee.
Acting Inspector David Paton with the Edmonton Police Service’s organized crime branch said the six accused were part of a structured group with a clear hierarchy and roles. They allegedly planned their crimes by researching their victims before committing extortions, arsons, and shootings.
“We know the criminal network run by Dhaliwal is recruiting young adults who may be influenced to commit crime for financial incentives… We believe that the individuals identified today represent the core members of this criminal network. However, there is a strong likelihood that more people will be charged as this investigation continues,” said Paton.
The police partners held the conference in part to emphasize to anyone who might be contacted to participate that they were being used as “patsies” and that they would be abandoned.
“No doubt this is a fool’s errand. We have information on our investigation to strongly suggest that they have been paid, but they’ve also been abandoned. My message to them is to be aware that this guy will not be there for you in the totality of the circumstances that they’ll face once they are brought to justice,” said Paton.
McFee said that his top concern was to stop youth from being recruited because it’s destroying the community.
“You’re signing up for something that, you know, it’s a cheque that will never be cashed because it’s going to interfere with your life, and it’s going to obviously jeopardize your future,” said McFee.
The police chief added that the next step was for the justice system to hold the accused accountable in every way possible. He said that they should use every tool at their disposal, including incarceration and even deportation.
“The message is: we’re going to find you. We’re going to hold you accountable. And if this is what you choose to do, it’s not going to end well for you,” said McFee.