Edmonton police say a man they’ve been looking for in connection with a string of crimes has been arrested in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The arrest follows an Edmonton Police Service (EPS) investigation into a series of crimes targeting the South Asian business community, dubbed “Project Gaslight.”
Police investigated 40 incidents related to extortion in Edmonton, and there were similar investigations in other Canadian cities.
As a result of the investigation, a Canada-wide warrant was issued for Maninder Singh Dhaliwal, 35, who police believe is the leader of the criminal organization behind the extortions.
Edmonton police have applied to have Maninder Singh Dhaliwal returned to Canada after he was arrested in the United Arab Emirates in 2024. Edmonton Police Service Handout Photo
Edmonton police said Dhaliwal was arrested in the UAE in late 2024. They have applied to have him extradited back to Canada.
“This investigation has been a massive effort on the part of EPS investigators, with never-before seen complexities involving international coordination, and we are very pleased to see it conclude with the request for the extradition of Dhaliwal,” said EPS Inspector Duane Hunter.
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Canada does not have a treaty with the UAE, so it’s not clear whether Dhaliwal will be sent back to face the charges.
Six others were arrested last year in connection with the crimes: Jashandeep Kaur, 20; Gurkaran Singh, 20; Manav Heer, 19; Parminder Singh, 21; Divnoor Asht, 19; and a male who was 17 at the time of the offences.
They were arrested on July 25, 2024.
The EPS said a total of 54 charges have been laid, including extortion, arson, intentionally discharging a firearm, break and enter, and assault with a weapon. Other charges are linked to committing an offence for the benefit of, or at the direction of, a criminal organization.
No new incidents have been reported since July 2024, police said.
“From the standpoint of sheer volume of information our investigators reviewed, this was likely one of the largest investigations in the history of the EPS, resulting in substantial charges for all accused,” Acting Inspector David Paton said in a July 26, 2024, news release.
Police said at the time the charged individuals were believed to be the core members of a criminal network. They said Dhaliwal was “actively recruiting other young people” and cautioned parents, specifically in the South Asian community, “to be aware and to have conversations with their young adults about the extortions and arsons that have been taking place.”
Alberta Crown Prosecution Service filed an indictment on Jan. 21, according to the EPS.
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Extortions targeted “affluent” members of the South Asian community in Edmonton, as well as in B.C. and Ontario, according to police.
They said the crimes were planned in India and committed by people in Canada.
Victims would receive a WhatsApp message demanding “significant” sums of money in return for safety, police said. Victims in B.C. cities reported receiving letters or phone calls in addition to social media messages.
Homebuilders were primary targets as they were seen as wealthy and able to pay, according to police.
Some victims who refused to pay had their businesses targeted with gunfire.
The RCMP set up a national team to coordinate investigations and share information to help solve the crimes.
Jennifer Cowan and The Canadian Press contributed to this report.
