Surrey Police Double Extortion Arrests Through Strategic Patrols
Surrey police have significantly increased arrests related to extortion cases over the past week, with enforcement efforts doubling even as incidents continue to rise across the city. This development comes amid growing concerns from the Punjabi community, where business owners face persistent threats, shootings, and financial demands that jeopardize their livelihoods.
Escalating Violence Reaches New Heights
The extortion crisis in Surrey has reached a disturbing new level this week, with arson now added to the list of violent tactics employed by suspects. Police confirm that targeted patrols in specific neighbourhoods have been crucial to their recent successes, though the overall number of cases shows no signs of abating.
Three individuals have been charged in connection with the most recent incident: Harjot Singh (21), Taranveer Singh (19), and Dayajeet Singh Billing (21) each face one count of discharging a firearm into a place. Their arrests followed a shooting and small fire outside a home in the Crescent Beach area shortly before 4 a.m. on February 1.
Project Assurance: A Coordinated Police Response
According to Staff Sgt. Lindsey Houghton, the increased arrest rate is no accident. Police have implemented Project Assurance, a dedicated initiative that places additional officers on overtime to focus specifically on extortion-related investigations. These resources are concentrated in areas where previous violence has occurred and where intelligence suggests further incidents are likely.
"The longer this goes on, and the more incidents we have, and the more investigations that unfold, the more information and intelligence police are able to gather and develop," Houghton explained. "There are many things that are going hand-in-hand behind the scenes that allow us to better direct our resources."
Recent Arrest Details and Community Impact
In the Crescent Beach incident, officers patrolling the neighbourhood responded to reports of gunfire and discovered a small fire at a property near Crescent Road and 132nd Street. Police spotted a suspicious vehicle nearby, and after three occupants fled on foot, they were apprehended at 28th Avenue and 140th Street as they attempted to enter a ride-hailing vehicle.
The fire was extinguished before it could spread to the main house, though the property had already sustained bullet damage. Police seized two vehicles as part of their investigation. During what Houghton described as a "high-risk arrest," officers used physical force to subdue two suspects who refused verbal commands, resulting in facial injuries.
The ongoing extortion campaign has created widespread fear within Surrey's Punjabi business community, with many reporting threats of violence if payments are not made, shootings at their premises, and significant disruption to their operations. While criticism of police response has mounted for months, the current enforcement strategy shows promising signs of progress against this persistent criminal activity.
