The Surrey Police Service released photos of 21-year-old Hanspreet Singh, left, and 20-year-old Harshdeep Singh, right, to help with an investigation. / Surrey Police Service

In what is viewed as a breakthrough in investigations into the rising incidents of extortion and firing at business and residential premises, the Surrey police claim to have arrested two suspects after an early morning shooting incident, and the Premier of British Columbia, David Eby, has offered to hold a national police meeting on the growing malaise of extortion.

David Eby, who was in Ottawa for a first ministers' meeting, reportedly discussed extortion crime with Prime Minister Mark Carney and Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree.

Eby, after the meeting with the Federal Ministers, said the group discussed the call from mayors like Surrey's Brenda Locke (and Patrick Brown of Brampton) to have a national state of emergency called over the crisis.

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The solution so far, Eby said, was to have police leadership from hard-hit provinces, such as Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, and B.C., meet in Surrey within the next two weeks. "We can ensure there are no gaps in sharing information, that all resources that are needed have been delivered, and they can get a handle on this as the national issue that it is," said Eby.

David Eby, after his return from a visit to India, has been talking about a collective effort to find a permanent solution to the “extortion crisis.”

Meanwhile, the Surrey police are looking at the arrest of two suspects, believed to be foreigners (Indians), after an early morning shooting at a residence as a possible breakthrough in the extortion cases. Investigators hope that releasing the photos of two men charged with firearms offences will result in tips from the public, as police work to establish if the incident is linked to a wave of extortions in Surrey, B.C.

“We have now had a victim come forward,” said Sgt. Tige Pollock, a media relations officer with the Surrey Police Service (SPS), was quoted as saying in a release to a media house.

The release of the photos of Harshdeep Singh and Hanspreet Singh came as both Surrey’s mayor and chief of police called for the practice to become more standard in response to suspected extortions.

Till the beginning of this week, Surrey had 36 suspected extortions, eight related shootings, and 21 victims. The SPS said 16 of those victims had previously been targeted.

The crime has mostly targeted South Asian communities, with people receiving threats and demands for money. Surrey, Delta, and Abbotsford have been disproportionately affected.

Many of the cases involve someone with firearms shooting at businesses or vehicles overnight.

On Jan. 26 morning, SPS officers were on patrol as part of a project meant to increase police presence in neighbourhoods and around businesses targeted by extortions and extortion-related shootings.

They were in the area of Surrey when they believed they heard gunshots. They were able to locate a suspect vehicle. They took a driver and passenger, who they believe to be connected to the shooting, into custody.

“During the arrests, a loaded handgun was discovered and seized,” said a release from SPS.

Harshdeep Singh, a 20-year-old man, has been charged with one count of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and one count of occupying a vehicle knowing a firearm is present.

Hanspreet Singh, a 21-year-old man, has been charged with one count of occupying a vehicle knowing a firearm is present, according to police.

SPS said both men are foreign nationals, and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has been involved in the investigation.

A CBSA spokesperson, according to media reports, said that criminal matters take precedence over immigration matters, meaning that any foreign national charged with crimes in Canada could not be removed until those charges have been resolved and, if convicted, criminal sentences served.

Both men remain in custody. Police did not say if anyone was injured in the incident. It was still not clear whether both were involved in the latest case of suspected extortion or not.

On Jan. 28, SPS said Surrey had recorded another, new case of suspected extortion, this time at a business in the city’s Newton neighborhood. They found damage to a business in the area.

“The business was unoccupied at the time, and fortunately, nobody was injured as a result of the incident,” said the force.

It said the motive for the shooting is still under investigation, but it appears to be related to the ongoing series of extortions in Surrey.

SPS released photos of both men “after determining that the disclosure was necessary to assist with the ongoing police investigation. “SPS hopes that the public release of images of Harshdeep Singh and Hanspreet Singh prompts additional witnesses, victims, or associates to come forward with relevant information,” it said in a statement.

Police say the release of the photos is being done under sections of B.C.’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act “to further a police investigation into a current crime, or series of crimes, and to seek the public’s assistance for witnesses and victims who may have information.”

The SPS also said that it has an extortion reward fund of Can $250,000, where monies can be awarded to those with tips if charges and convictions of those responsible for extortion crimes are secured.

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