As extortion attempts and related violence against the South Asian community persist in B.C., the province has created an extortion advisory group to identify gaps and improve communication, led by a former RCMP officer.
Paul Dadwal, who has worked with the B.C. RCMP’s gang investigations team and established a fentanyl task force, will lead the group.
“No one takes pride in stepping into leadership because their community is in crisis,” Dadwal said in a text message to CBC News. “I wish these circumstances didn’t exist — but given the situation, I am fully committed to this work and to serving the community.”
Premier David Eby said that in his new role, Dadwal will lead efforts to explore ideas and concerns related to policing and communication in terms of extortion, and share findings with the RCMP’s task force.
Dadwal, 46, grew up in Surrey, where he attended Tamanawis Secondary School. He began his policing career with Surrey RCMP in 2001, and says he’s fluent in English and Punjabi.
“He knows how to combat crime and how to connect with community,” Eby said.
Dadwal founded Arion Defense, a footwear screening platform designed for use in places like airports to detect threats or weapons contained in shoes. He says the company has since been sold.
Surrey community advocate reacts to new B.C. anti-extortion group
Elizabeth Model, CEO of the Downtown Surrey Business Improvement Association, said she hopes the new advisory group will keep the community better informed about the situation.
“It has been a crisis in Surrey,” she told CBC’s On The Coast.
“Until a few days ago, none of us knew exactly how many extortion cases there were.”
Dadwal’s appointment and the creation of the group comes after a task force was established in September 2025 specifically to address the rise of extortion attempts and related shootings.
Surrey, alone, had a total of 132 extortion attempts, 49 of them involving shootings, in 2025, according to local police.
As of Feb. 2, the Surrey Police Service says there have been 46 extortion attempts and 11 extortion-related shootings in the city since the beginning of the year. There’s also been one arson related to extortion, and 29 victims have been identified, the police service adds.
In January, Eby criticized the head of the anti-extortion task force for refusing to characterize a wave of extortion-related shootings in the Lower Mainland as a crisis.
“We face a crisis caused by criminals demanding money from businesses and shooting up homes,” Eby said in a statement Wednesday.
“As a dad to three children, I know that every family needs security at home. It’s fundamental. Concerns raised by those who have received threats must be addressed urgently. Information offered by community members must be received and incorporated into investigations immediately.”
Last week, the premier was in Ottawa for a first ministers meeting, where extortion was part of the conversation and additional RCMP officers and helicopter support were promised by the federal government in response to extortion in Surrey.
While leaders in Surrey say much more support is needed, Public Safety Minister and Solicitor General Nina Krieger said the province will continue to lobby the government for more resources.
“We will continue to lobby Ottawa for additional enforcement supports and changes to criminal and immigration laws to close loopholes in Canada Border Service Agency’s removal system, and for transparency in identifying people who have been removed from Canada.”
