A classified intelligence guide prepared by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has found that the Lawrence Bishnoi crime syndicate exploited Canada's temporary student and work permit programmes to expand its criminal network within South Asian communities, according to a report by The Times of India.
The classified assessment, titled The Bishnoi Gang: An Emerging Threat in Canada, says the gang has established a growing operational presence in the country and has used Canada's immigration programmes for criminal purposes.
It says investigations have increasingly identified Indian nationals holding study and work permits as participants in organised criminal activities.
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The report links the syndicate's expansion to a rise in extortion cases targeting businesses in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario. According to investigators, victims received threats demanding money, with shootings and arson allegedly used to enforce those demands.
The CBSA assessment identifies Goldy Brar, a close associate of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, as the key figure behind the group's Canadian network. It says Brar entered Canada on a student visa in 2017 and later helped recruit other temporary permit holders to carry out criminal activities.
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The report warns that the alleged involvement of temporary visa holders creates challenges for immigration screening and border enforcement.
"The sustained expansion of Bishnoi-linked extortions and the involvement of student permit and work permit holders raises significant concerns for CBSA operations," the report said.
Canada designated the Bishnoi gang as a terrorist entity under its Criminal Code in September 2025, giving authorities wider powers to act against the group's financing, recruitment and travel.
Canadian law enforcement agencies have linked the syndicate to extortion, shootings, arson and other organised criminal activities, while investigations into its alleged cross-border operations remain ongoing.
(With inputs from TOI)
