November 7, 2025
RED FM News Desk
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has initiated immigration investigations into 78 foreign nationals and successfully removed three individuals from Canada as part of the newly formed BC Extortion Task Force. The operations stem from a sharp rise in extortion threats and violence targeting businesses, particularly those within the South Asian community in the Lower Mainland.
The CBSA Pacific Region Immigration Enforcement and Intelligence and Investigations Operations are playing an active role in the task force, which was announced by the Province of B.C. in September and is led by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). The CBSA’s specific mandate within the 40-member task force includes assisting in the execution of search warrants, conducting investigations under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), and sharing crucial information with law enforcement partners.
Federal and provincial officials praised the inter-agency cooperation. Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety, highlighted the importance of the agency’s work: “I have seen up close just how diligently border services officers and investigators work to ensure the safety and security of our communities and the integrity of Canada’s immigration system.”
Nina Krieger, B.C.’s Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, underscored the serious consequences facing non-citizens involved in these crimes “The CBSA is an essential part of the B.C. Extortion Task Force… Those who commit violent extortion that terrorize our communities will be arrested, charged and, as we’ve seen today, if they are not Canadian citizens they may be removed from Canada.”
The BC Extortion Task Force is a comprehensive effort involving various policing agencies, including the B.C. RCMP, Abbotsford Police Department, Delta Police Department, Metro Vancouver Transit Police, and Surrey Police Service. It also includes the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit – B.C. (CFSEU-BC) and the Surrey Provincial Operations Support Unit. The efforts are supported federally by the RCMP National Co-ordination and Support Team (NCST), which assists in information sharing across affected provinces, including B.C., Alberta, and Ontario.
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