Calgary police say two men are facing charges related to a series of extortions targeting the South Asian community.
The charges come after demands for money were made to a business in the northeast community of Saddle Ridge on May 5, with threats to the owner, their friends and family being shot if the demand wasn’t met, Calgary police said in a Monday press release.
Police said a search warrant was executed at a home on May 28, and four men were arrested.
Two of the men, 30-year-old Sandeep Singh and 39-year-old Amandeep Mallhi, have been charged with one count each of extortion and possession of the proceeds of crime.
Singh and Mallhi are scheduled to appear in court Monday.
46 extortion-related incidents since April of last year
Calgary police say this latest incident is part of a series of extortion cases targeting the city’s South Asian community.
There have been 46 extortion-related incidents in Calgary since the series began last April, with 19 involving shootings at homes, businesses or vehicles, police said.
Singh and Mallhi are among 14 people who have been charged with 54 criminal offences related to this extortion series.
The Calgary Police Service says it is working closely with the Canada Border Services Agency and other law enforcement partners to address the situation.