The mayor of Surrey, British Columbia, is urgently calling on the Canadian government to launch a nationwide campaign to combat extortion-related violence in the country. Brenda Locke expressed deep concern over the recent surge in shootings tied to extortion attempts in her city.
According to Locke, Surrey has witnessed a disturbing spike of 34 reported extortion cases within the past three weeks, leaving residents living in constant fear. In a letter addressed to federal Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree, Locke proposed the establishment of a “national extortion commissioner” to devise a unified strategy to tackle such criminal activities on a broader scale.
Her plea follows a statement by Assistant RCMP Commissioner John Brewer regarding the ongoing efforts of the BC Extortion Task Force, emphasizing their active pursuit of suspects involved in 32 cases spread across the Lower Mainland.
In the midst of this escalating crisis, there have been multiple incidents of gun violence in the past week, with businesses and homes being targeted in connection to extortion schemes.
Mayor Locke acknowledges the dedicated efforts of local law enforcement in addressing these crimes but stresses the critical need for a cohesive national approach to combat extortion-related violence. She advocates for a commissioner with the mandate to identify and rectify deficiencies in existing legal frameworks, immigration policies, and citizenship systems to effectively prevent such crimes.
Highlighting the inadequacy of current legislation, Locke insists on the urgency of a robust national response to halt the escalating threat of extortion violence in Surrey and beyond.
Recent data released by the task force revealed that seven individuals have been charged, and nine foreign nationals have been deported out of 111 investigations conducted to assess their admissibility into Canada.
The troubling wave of violence predominantly targets members of the South Asian community, underscoring the pressing need for immediate and comprehensive action to safeguard the safety and security of all residents.