Edmonton police say they have arrested a 22-year-old man with alleged ties to an international criminal network that extorts South Asian business owners across Canada.The Edmonton Police Service says a May 4 traffic stop led to the seizure of drugs and a loaded firearm, as well as the arrests of three men in their 20s.One of those men, police allege, has ties to the “For Brothers” gang, which is linked to shootings and extortions of South Asian business owners across Canada, notably in the Greater Toronto Area, and the United States. After he was released on bail, authorities searched his Edmonton home on two occasions – May 28 and June 23 – and allegedly seized “evidence consistent with vehicle re-vinning operations linked to extortion-related crimes.”On June 23, Safaldeep Singh was arrested and charged with trafficking in property obtained by crime, possession of stolen property and unauthorized possession of a firearm. The Edmonton portion of the investigation was part of Project Insight.Once processed in Edmonton, Singh was transferred to Ontario where he was arrested on Canada-wide warrants for conspiracy to commit murder and extortion. Peel Regional Police are also continuing to investigate on their end.The allegations against him have not been tested in court.Authorities say police in both provinces — Alberta and Ontario — are working closely together in this case and others, commending the information-sharing nature of law enforcement today.Canada’s South Asian business community has been the target of extortions for years now. Victims typically receive threats or demands for payment, often via WhatsApp, social media, or international phone calls. Extortion crimes sometimes involve arson and shootings.Peel police in Ontario recently arrested more than a dozen suspects — of which there were several members of the “For Brothers” gang — linked to violent extortion incidents. A few weeks ago, the Alberta government announced it was sending $8 million to four police forces in the province to help crack down on organized crime and extortion, particularly targeting the South Asian community. The EPS is receiving $2.24 million of that funding.In Edmonton earlier this year, authorities cracked down on a criminal network linked to the violent extortion of South Asian business owners. That joint operation by EPS and Alberta RCMP led to the deportation of two suspects, including a man described as a “ringleader” and “decision-maker.”Police described those crimes as a “small resurgence” following Project Gaslight, the police investigation that determined organized crime groups were targeting vacant, newly built and under-construction homes in Edmonton in 2023 and 2024 as part of international extortion activities with links to India.