British Columbia's (BC) most populous city is now part of a growing trend of crime where perpetrators threaten residents and businesses with violence to get money.
The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) said on Wednesday that it is actively investigating four extortion cases. These are the first cases reported to police in the city.
"I can confirm that these four are the first four that we're aware about in Vancouver," said Const Darren Wong in an e-mail to CBC News.
Also Read | Canada deports over 22,000 inadmissible individuals in 2024, CBSA data shows
Cops offer limited information
The police are providing limited information about the cases. They have not confirmed whether they involve shootings, which have been frequent in other areas with more extortion, like Surrey, Delta and Abbotsford. The VPD has also not disclosed when the cases were reported, but they have mentioned that arrests have been made.
"While I cannot comment on specifics about these four investigations as they are all in different stages, I can confirm that we have executed search warrants and arrests and are in the process of collecting more evidence in order to have charges laid," wrote Wong in the e-mail.
The police stated that all the victims live in Vancouver but have businesses in the Fraser Valley. They also mentioned that the Vancouver Police Department has collaborated with the Surrey Police Service and the BC Extortion Task Force on two of the four investigations. Police believe there may be other cases in Vancouver and are encouraging victims to come forward and report the crime.
So far, 53 extortions reported in Surrey this year
In Surrey, the police have recorded 53 extortion cases this year as of February 16, as well as 11 related shootings and two related arsons, reported CBC. The cases have impacted 31 individuals, 17 of whom had been previously targeted.
The Surrey area has become ground zero for extortion in the province, with the first cases being reported in November of last year, 2023, stated the CBC report. Since then, the Surrey Police Service, along with other law enforcement and all levels of government, have been playing catch-up with the crime.
Also Read | ‘Deeply shocked’: PM Modi expresses grief over British Columbia school shooting
On Thursday, the federal government announced the inclusion of specialised financial intelligence experts who will specifically target extortion against Canadian businesses and households as part of a multi-jurisdictional response to the issue.
"Our message to criminals is both powerful and simple: Enough is enough," federal Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne was quoted as saying by CBC News from Mississauga, Ont., another extortion hotspot.
"We're going to make their life miserable."
Champagne explained that the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) will work very closely with the local police to obtain better and faster financial intelligence that can help track down criminal networks and fuel investigations.
In a news release on Thursday, the government announced a new partnership between FINTRAC and Canadian banks, credit unions, and financial service providers, including cryptocurrency exchanges, to improve information sharing and provide clear guidance on how to identify extortion-related transactions, reported CBC News.
FINTRAC will also provide intelligence on how money is laundered by criminals, according to the news release.
The Surrey police said that they are reviewing the announcement and considering how it will be implemented.
80 amendments to the Criminal Code in Canada
On Thursday, Prime Minister Mark Carney visited Surrey to meet with local police to discuss the latest efforts of the government to tackle extortion. The strategy includes 80 amendments to the Criminal Code in Canada, stricter immigration policies to prevent extortion suspects from seeking asylum in Canada, and additional resources to help victims of extortion.
Also Read | Mass school shooting at British Columbia leaves 10 dead, over 20 injured: Here's what we know
"We are in the process of addressing this issue collectively with law enforcement, with our prosecutors, with our municipalities, with the provinces, with the federal government," said Carney as reported by CBC News.
"We are going to stamp out extortion."
