February 10, 2026
Parteek Singh Mahal
The escalating wave of extortions and organized crime in British Columbia has pushed police leadership to a breaking point. In a powerful “Call to Action,” Abbotsford Police Chief Colin Watson have publicly sought change in Canadian justice system, warning that without immediate legislative reform, the battle against these criminal networks will remain an impossible dream.
Chief Colin Watson revealed the staggering growth of this crime during a press briefing on Tuesday. He disclosed that the first extortion case linked to this current trend appeared in Abbotsford in 2023, the department has since seen reported cases surge to 89 incidents. “This crisis has forced the Abbotsford Police Department (APD) to work well beyond its capacity, shifting resources away from other critical investigations to prioritize extortion files.”
Chief Watson directed a stern warning to elected officials, stating that partisanship must end to protect the South Asian community and local businesses.
“Extortion thrives on fear and isolation. Our response is about more than enforcement; it’s about building trust, sharing information, and ensuring people know they are not alone. The challenges we face today have been years in the making. Resource pressures, outdated legislation, and systemic barriers within the justice system have made complex organized crime investigations increasingly difficult—not just in Abbotsford, but across the province and our Country.”
“Police services, including AbbyPD, have consistently identified reforms that would significantly strengthen public safety, including modernization of the Criminal Code, changes to disclosure requirements, improved lawful access to communications information, and increased resourcing throughout the justice system. While some steps are underway, AbbyPD emphasizes that the urgency of the situation demands faster coordinated action,” he added.
The crisis is not isolated to Abbotsford. Surrey Police Service Chief Norm Lipinski on Monday in a video message confirmed that Surrey has become a “hotbed” for these crimes. Chief Lipinski has formally requested additional officers from the provincial government to manage the workload. Since the beginning of the year, dozens of extortion-related crimes—including several shootings—have been reported across Surrey, Delta, and Abbotsford.
Both chiefs identified systemic bottlenecks that allow criminals to operate in “the shadows.” These include wait times with multi-year backlogs for firearms analysis and DNA testing are stalling investigations.
The urgent pleas from both chiefs come just weeks before a National Policing Summit scheduled for later this month in Surrey. Representatives from B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, and Ontario will gather to create a unified strategy to dismantle the extortion networks currently operating across provincial borders. Chief Watson emphasized that this is a national crisis that requires a collective solution beyond just local policing.
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