A classified RCMP assessment alleges that an Indian-based organized crime group operating in Canada has ties to the government of India and has been involved in serious criminal activity, including extortion and contract killings.According to Global News, the document, prepared by the RCMP’s national security division, examines the growing presence of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang in Canada and describes the organization as a violent criminal network with international reach. The three-page report, circulated internally last year and later released under access-to-information legislation, outlines allegations that the group has operated while advancing the interests of Indian state actors..The assessment describes the Bishnoi gang as primarily motivated by profit rather than ideology, with activities including extortion, drug trafficking, money laundering and targeted killings. It states the group has expanded across multiple countries, including Canada, and has demonstrated a willingness to use violence to further its objectives.Midway through the document, the RCMP assessment notes that the gang has allegedly acted “on behalf of the Indian government,” according to Global News.The report references a June 2025 statement by British Columbia Premier David Eby calling on Ottawa to consider listing the Bishnoi gang as a terrorist organization. It was released publicly during a period of renewed diplomatic engagement between Canada and India, including a trade mission to India and plans for a future visit by Prime Minister Mark Carney..Canada’s federal government has said it is seeking to diversify trade relationships amid ongoing economic uncertainty and shifting U.S. trade policy.Concerns over alleged Indian involvement in violence on Canadian soil intensified following the June 2023 killing of a Sikh temple leader in Surrey, B.C. Subsequent investigations led Canadian officials to publicly acknowledge that Indian government agents were suspected of involvement in violent acts in Canada. Several Indian diplomatic officials were later expelled.In September 2024, Ottawa formally designated the Bishnoi gang as a terrorist entity under Canadian law, citing a rise in shootings and extortion linked to organized crime. The public listing did not reference any connection to the Indian government..The RCMP assessment, however, repeatedly alleges coordination between Indian officials and organized crime groups, including the Bishnoi network, to target individuals in Canada associated with Sikh separatist causes.The report traces the gang’s origins to Punjab, India, where it initially emerged through intimidation in student politics before expanding into a transnational criminal organization with hundreds of members. Despite its leader, Lawrence Bishnoi, being incarcerated in India since 2015, the assessment states the organization has continued to operate under the direction of senior associates.Neither the government of India nor Canadian federal officials provided comment at the time of the report’s release. The RCMP described the document as an intelligence product intended to provide situational awareness regarding the gang’s structure, reach and potential national security implications.
