Intelligence agencies flag rise of copycat extortion networks
Indian and Canadian intelligence agencies have flagged the rise of independent "copycat" criminals using the names of major syndicates for extortion. Meanwhile, Canada has launched 138 immigration probes after finding student visa holders coerced into diaspora-targeted violence
New Delhi: The Union Home Ministry, last year, flagged gangster-terror nexus and directed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to carry out a thorough probe into the matter. Though NIA managed to net major players in this network, the Indian Intelligence agencies have now flagged the rise of copycat actors.
The gangster network which made Canada its base has been directing operations in India, especially in Punjab. The Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar gangs are under the radar of the Indian and Canadian agencies as they have become a major security nightmare. However, recent investigations have shown that not all gangsters are associated with these networks.
These persons have been found to be operating on their own, but while carry out extortion rackets, they are using the names of big gangsters.
These copycat actors as described by the agencies are proving to be major headache for the security agencies. Some of investigations conducted both in India and Canada have found that many of these persons are not even remotely linked to the major gangs.
An Intelligence Bureau official says that these bigger gangsters such as Brar have managed to create a reputation of fear. In recent months, there have been many times when these gangsters have taken to the social media and claimed responsibility for an extortion and a shooting.
This open admission of crime is aimed at creating fear in the minds of people. They are trying to tell people that they are well above the law and they can commit a crime and even speak about it openly. This has been exploited by smaller criminal gangs and copycat actors. These gangs are just interested in small time money and hence they try and earn it by using the reputation and name of the bigger gangs.
Unlike the bigger gangs, these actors are not associated with any of the terror groups. The Khalistan terror groups, in particular, are closely linked with the bigger networks. They operate in tandem and this has been flagged several times by the NIA. The gangster networks have been tasked with carrying small attacks in Punjab in the name of the Khalistan movement. The gangs in turn are paid handsomely by the ISI backed Khalistan groups.
Moreover, the ISI also facilitates the narcotics and arms trade for these gangs and in return they offer their services towards building up a momentum for the Khalistan movement, an official said. In addition to the copycat actors in Canada, it has also been found that some of these gangs are targeting Indian national who reach the country on study permits.
They are threatened into carrying out targeted acts of violence against the South Asian diaspora communities across Canada. The Canadian authorities have confirmed this development in a lengthy statement. The Canadian authorities released off 15 Indian-origin men who are part of a deep-rooted extortion racket in Canada.
The authorities further said that after they found the involvement of students on study permits to be involved in the extortion racket, 138 immigration investigations have been opened across the country. During this operation, the authorities have issued 37 removal orders, while 18 have been removed from Canada.
With regard to copycat actors, the Indian agencies say that probing such cases is a challenge. In cases of the bigger networks, investigations over the years have managed to establish the structure in which they operate. There are clear linkages that can track the crime up to the individual.
However, smaller gangs and copycat actors do not work in any structure. There is not much data on them and hence the investigations hit a dead end on several occasions, before the case is finally cracked, the official also said.
