Calls to designate the notorious Lawrence Bishnoi gang as a terrorist group have been rising in Canada of late. Several leaders in the country have pointed out to the criminal network that the gang operates from within Canada and claimed that the gang is responsible for “violence, extortion, drug trafficking and targeted killings”.
Premier of Alberta province Danielle Smith demanded on Tuesday that the federal government of Canada designate the gang as a terrorist group. In a joint statement issued on Monday, Premier Smith and Alberta’s Minister for Public Safety and Emergency Services Mike Ellis stressed upon the threat posed by the gang in a post on X. The post read, “The Lawrence Bishnoi Gang is a transnational criminal network responsible for violence, extortion, drug trafficking and targeted killings, including here in Canada. Its reach is global, and its intent is criminal and violent.”
It further mentioned that a formal terrorist designation would “unlock critical powers, allowing provincial and municipal-level law enforcement agencies to access the necessary tools and resources needed to effectively disrupt operations and protect our people.” In June, British Columbia Premier David Eby had made a similar request to Ottawa in June, highlighting growing alarm among provincial leaders.
Last week, Canada’s Minister for Public Safety Gary Anandasangaree addressed media inquiries on the matter, acknowledging that while a “legal threshold” must be met for such a designation, the issue is currently under consideration by the country’s law enforcement agencies.
The Bishnoi gang has been linked to a series of extortion attempts across Ontario, BC, and Alberta. However, earlier this month, CBC News reported that arrests made in Edmonton, Alberta, in connection with an extortion series were primarily of individuals associated with the Brothers Keepers gang, a group that originated in BC.
Recently a spokesperson for the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of British Columbia (CFSEU-BC), Corporal Sarbjit Sangha, stated to News Derby (in Punjabi) that the Bishnoi outfit is not currently in their database of major gangs operating in the province. Sangh said, “So far, I don’t believe I’ve seen any evidence that would tell us that the person you’ve named (Lawrence Bishnoi) has any connection with the groups that are working here, involved with drug-trafficking, firearm trafficking. This person’s name has not come forward.”
However, Sangha clarified that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) investigation into extortion-related violent criminal activity is “separate.” The RCMP is leading a task force addressing these crimes, to which the Bishnoi gang has been linked, although Sangha confirmed her specific unit is not currently investigating the Bishnoi gang.