An Edmonton Police Service patrol vehicle is seen in a stock image. Shutterstock/Jenari
Edmonton police have charged 22-year-old Safaldeep Singh in connection with an alleged conspiracy to commit murder and links to international criminal network For Brothers.
As part of Project Insight, police arrested Singh on May 4 along with Sandeep Singh, 28, and Divianshu Divianshu, 22, after a traffic stop for dangerous driving uncovered controlled substances and a loaded firearm in the vehicle, police said in a news release. The three men, who were occupants of the Dodge Charger involved in the traffic stop, were charged with several drug trafficking and firearms related offences, according to the release.
Police say Safaldeep Singh has suspected ties to For Brothers, which has been linked to shootings and extortion targeting South Asian business owners and community members across the Greater Toronto Area, Canada, and the United States.
On May 28 and June 23, police executed two search warrants at Singh’s residence, where they seized evidence believed to be linked to a re-vinning operation and extortion-related crimes.
Re-vinning is the illegal practice of altering a stolen vehicle’s Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to conceal its true identity and pass it off as a legitimate car.
On June 23, Singh was apprehended and charged with trafficking in property obtained by crime, possession of stolen property, and unauthorized possession of a firearm.
Police said Safaldeep Singh had Canada-wide warrants originating in Ontario for conspiracy to commit murder and extortion, and was transferred to Ontario to face the charges on those warrants after being processed in Edmonton for his charges there.
“In this investigation, we’re especially grateful to Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and the Peel Regional Police for their close collaboration, which led to Singh’s arrest and the connection to violent occurrences on the other side of the country,” Edmonton Police Service Staff Sergeant Eric Stewart said.
Peel Regional Police Deputy Chief Nick Milinovich also thanked Edmonton police and said that extortion and targeted violence have had a profound impact on the region’s South Asian community.
Police asked anyone with information about extortion attempts to contact them. Such activity typically involves threats or demands to make payment using messaging platforms like WhatsApp, they said.
Those encountering extortion should not respond to threatening communication, should preserve evidence of the activity including screenshots, and should stay with a friend or family member in cases involving concern for personal safety, they said.
In a separate investigation, Peel Regional Police in May arrested 17 men in connection with extortion targeting the South Asian community. The majority of those men allegedly have ties to For Brothers, Peel police said.
