Surrey, B.C. – Surrey families and business owners are “living in fear” as violent extortion attempts continue to escalate, says Mandeep Dhaliwal, Conservative MLA for Surrey North. In a forceful statement released following a packed town hall meeting, Dhaliwal warned that the crisis has reached a breaking point.
Dhaliwal says residents are exhausted, angry, and desperate for meaningful action after months of shootings, threats, and arsons linked to organized extortion networks. “This has gone from a question of if to a question of when,” he said. “Our city feels under siege.”
He criticized the BC NDP government for what he called a slow and ineffective response to a crisis that has gripped Surrey neighbourhoods. Dhaliwal said families are demanding to know why it took so long for the province to react despite clear warning signs and a rising number of targeted attacks.
The MLA also renewed calls for transparency after the province confirmed that three individuals tied to extortion investigations had been deported. Dhaliwal said the government’s refusal to release their names has fueled further fear and confusion. “Our community does not owe secrecy to criminals who terrorize families and small businesses,” he said. “Their names should be made public, today.”
Dhaliwal urged the province to treat the extortion wave as the emergency it is, adding that Surrey residents are living with daily anxiety as gunfire and threats continue across the city. He called for stronger police resources, better coordination with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), and enhanced protection for the South Asian community, which has been heavily targeted by extortion networks.
“Surrey deserves more than delayed acknowledgements and photo ops,” Dhaliwal said. “I will keep fighting until families feel safe in their homes, business owners can open their doors without fear, and every extortionist who threatens this community is brought to justice.”