Over 80 individuals have been removed from Canada so far for their alleged involvement in extortion-related crime, while nearly 140 others are facing removal proceedings, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has said.
In data released this week, it said as of June 18, 2026, it has opened 484 immigration investigations, 139 removal orders have been issued on various inadmissibility grounds and are in the process of being enforced, with 81 individuals having already been removed from Canada.
While there was no breakdown by nationality, all of those that have been named so far as having been removed, approximately two dozen, have all been from India.
CBSA broke down the figures by region. In the Pacific Region, which encompasses the Metro Vancouver area including the town of Surrey in British Columbia, 150 immigration investigations have been opened, 69 removal orders issued, and 46 individuals removed from Canada.
In the Greater Toronto Area or GTA Region, 196 immigration investigations have been opened, 33 removal orders issued, and 17 individuals removed from Canada.
In the Prairie Region, including the cities of Edmonton and Calgary in Alberta, 138 immigration investigations have been opened, 37 removal orders issued, and 18 persons removed from Canada.
“We continue to take strong action by strengthening enforcement, investing in our partners, and ensuring that those who exploit or endanger others are held accountable. This includes removing criminals and individuals who have no legal right to remain here,” Canada’s Minister of Public Safety Gary Anandasangaree said. Under his watch, action against such crimes began in August last year and has spread to major municipal regions where extortion-related violence had become a crisis.
And police continue to act against such crimes. Calgary Police Service has charged 16 persons with 56 offences as part of its extortion-related investigations. All 16 are of Indian origin.
“Despite laying charges in a number of cases, we want to emphasize that these investigations remain active and ongoing, and additional assistance from the public is critical. We will not stop until everyone involved in these crimes has been identified and held accountable,” Superintendent Jeff Bell of the CPS Criminal Operations & Intelligence Division said.
Meanwhile, Surrey Police Service arrested two persons in connection with an incident of firing at a residence on June 11. SPS’s Extortion Response Team or ExRT took over the lead on the investigation, and subsequently, four persons were arrested and two charged.
Those charged were identified as Arman Singh, 21, and Simarjeet Singh, 22. They face the charge of reckless discharge of a firearm.
“They are both foreign nationals and SPS has engaged the CBSA. The other two men arrested have not been charged with criminal offences at this time and are currently in the custody of CBSA,” a statement from SPS said.
CBSA president Erin O’Gorman said his agency was “working side by side with other law enforcement partners to counter extortion, disrupt criminal networks” and was “committed to ensuring that individuals involved in these activities cannot find safe haven in Canada.”
