LANGLEY — Five foreign nationals are in police custody and face a string of charges arising out of an RCMP investigation into extortion of members of British Columbia’s South Asian community. Supt. Harm Dosange, with the Langley RCMP, says the investigation started in June 2025 when owners of an auto dealership reached out to police. He says the extortion demands were followed up by shootings and arsons in Langley and neighbouring Surrey, B.C. Dosange says the project’s investigators faced unprecedented obstacles in their work across Canada and internationally. The five accused are in their 20s and face a variety of charges, including extortion, damaging property by fire explosion, throwing an explosive substance, drug charges, and numerous firearms allegations. Chief Supt. Duncan Pound with B.C.’s extortion task force says the accused’s trial will hear if the India-based Lawrence Bishnoi gang is involved, but police have seen cases where criminals claim they are part of a high-profile crime group as a way to make money. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 2, 2026.