Police urge more B.C. extortion victims to come forward as charges laid in Edmonton

The caput of an RCMP squad established to thief section constabulary ace down connected a drawstring of extortion attempts crossed nan state says investigators are making advancement successful B.C., but request much group to travel forward.

It comes arsenic investigators successful B.C. look mounting unit arsenic constabulary successful different Canadian jurisdictions denote arrests and charges.

“I’d for illustration to opportunity rather important amounts of things person been accomplished, our squad is very busy,” said Supt. Adam MacIntosh, Officer successful Charge of nan RCMP National Coordination and Support Team (NCST) formed to support constabulary dealing pinch extortion threats crossed nan country.

“It’s very difficult to benignant of stock nan ins and outs of what’s going on, but nan connection and nan collaboration that is occurring betwixt each these constabulary jurisdictions and nan U.S. and internationally is important and thing I’m personally very proud of.”

Last week, constabulary moving connected akin cases successful Edmonton announced 65 charges against six suspects successful what has been dubbed “Project Gaslight.”

Peel Regional Police, meanwhile, person laid 58 charges against 11 suspects successful caller months.

Police arrested 2 men successful B.C. successful December complete alleged threats to business owners, but prosecutors person yet to o.k. charges.

Late past month, emotions boiled complete astatine a packed municipality hallway successful Surrey, pinch attendees expressing vexation astatine an evident deficiency of advancement successful nan investigations.

MacIntosh said comparing investigations crossed jurisdictions is difficult because nan extortion threats successful different provinces are “really localized.”

Police successful B.C. are presently looking into “under 30” extortion attempts, he said.

“But we’re besides dealing pinch what are referred to arsenic copycat-type investigations, wherever individuals spot this mightiness beryllium an opportunity, they’re not a portion of that organized crime group and are trying to conscionable fundamentally piggyback connected an opportunity and truthful we’re trying to separate 1 from nan other,” he said.

Trending Now

“That being said, we cognize there’s apt unreported events.”

MacIntosh said constabulary understand that nan victims of specified extortion attempts consciousness genuine fearfulness for their ain and their family’s safety.

But he said for investigators to break up nan crime groups responsible for nan threats, they request nan organization to flooded those fears and activity pinch police.

He praised nan organizers of nan caller Surrey forum for speaking retired and said investigators request to spot much group coming forward.

“Take a infinitesimal and deliberation astir what’s occurring. Contact your section constabulary of jurisdiction, stock nan accusation that’s going connected and immoderate you do, do not pay,” he said.

“If group don’t pay, and people, though they are afraid, guidelines up successful beforehand of their fearfulness and collaborate together, there’s not going to beryllium a method for those organized crime groups to person money, they’ll extremity those extortions.”

MacIntosh said accusation from victims could beryllium captious successful helping constabulary link cases together and to place suspects.

He added that constabulary tin thief anyone who comes guardant to create a information scheme to thief allay fears of retribution.