A letter allegedly sent to police in Canada is raising new concerns about the reach of organized crime after investigators revealed that the notorious Bishnoi gang claimed it had more than 1,000 people willing to carry out shootings tied to extortion operations.
The claim surfaced during testimony at a deportation hearing in Canada, where law enforcement officials described a letter reportedly delivered to a police station in British Columbia in 2025. According to investigators, the message outlined the gang’s criminal structure and warned authorities about the scale of its operation.
The allegations are now fueling growing concern over organized crime, extortion, and violence tied to transnational criminal networks operating far beyond their home countries.
The Letter That Got Police Attention
According to reporting by Global News, testimony during an immigration hearing revealed that a letter allegedly sent to the police department in Abbotsford, British Columbia, claimed the Lawrence Bishnoi gang had more than 1,000 “foot soldiers” available to carry out shootings connected to extortion efforts.
During the hearing, Edmonton Police Service investigator Constable Kevin St. Louis reportedly described the contents of the letter while testifying before Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Board.
According to Global News, St. Louis said the message outlined the organization’s criminal network and referenced “upwards of 1,000 individuals” allegedly willing to carry out violent acts as part of extortion schemes. The investigator also testified that the letter reportedly emphasized that businesses were expected to “pay their tax,” language authorities interpreted as evidence of financial extortion.
The Abbotsford Police Department later confirmed receiving the letter but declined to publicly discuss investigative details. Sgt. Paul Walker reportedly told Global News that detectives investigated both the origin of the letter and the claims made inside it.
Who Is the Bishnoi Gang?
The criminal group at the center of the allegations is reportedly led by Lawrence Bishnoi, an Indian gangster who has remained imprisoned in India since 2015 but is still widely accused of directing criminal activity through associates.
According to reporting from The Guardian and Canadian law enforcement statements, the Bishnoi organization has been linked to extortion, shootings, organized crime activity, and intimidation campaigns targeting members of the South Asian community in Canada. Canadian police have also alleged the group played a role in violent incidents involving Sikh activists and extortion-related crimes.
The gang gained international attention following allegations surrounding high-profile killings, threats against public figures, and increasing reports of extortion targeting business owners.
According to Global News reporting, investigators testified that the gang allegedly recruits local individuals inside Canada—sometimes for relatively small payments—to carry out shootings connected to intimidation and extortion efforts.
Why Canadian Officials Are Taking It Seriously
The allegations arrive as Canada continues grappling with rising reports of extortion and violence targeting members of the South Asian business community, particularly in provinces such as British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario.
According to testimony referenced by Global News, investigators tied the letter to broader concerns involving a wave of organized crime activity linked to the Bishnoi network. Police reportedly viewed the claims about “1,000 foot soldiers” as part of a larger effort to intimidate both authorities and victims.
The issue has become serious enough that Canada designated the Bishnoi gang as a terrorist entity in late 2025, according to government records and multiple reports cited by Canadian media. That designation gave law enforcement additional legal tools for investigating financial activity, organized crime links, and suspected associates tied to the network.
Authorities have not publicly confirmed whether the gang actually possesses the manpower described in the letter.
But investigators appear to be treating the threat seriously.
Extortion Threats Have Shaken Communities
In recent years, business owners in parts of Canada have increasingly reported receiving threatening messages demanding money, often accompanied by warnings of violence if payments were not made.
According to Canadian reporting, some incidents involved shootings at homes or businesses connected to extortion demands. Community leaders have repeatedly expressed concern over the growing climate of fear, particularly among immigrant business owners who say they feel specifically targeted.
Law enforcement officials say many of these cases remain under active investigation.
At the same time, officials have warned against assuming every public claim made by criminal organizations is accurate, noting that gangs often exaggerate strength or influence as part of intimidation tactics.
That means the claim of 1,000 gunmen remains exactly that—a claim.
But one authorities clearly believe warrants attention.
The Bottom Line
For Canadian police, the letter reportedly sent to an Abbotsford police station represented more than just a threat.
It offered a rare look into how investigators say organized crime networks may be attempting to project power, intimidate victims, and expand extortion operations across international borders.
Whether the gang truly possesses the reach it claims remains unclear.
What is clear, however, is that Canadian authorities are treating the issue as something far larger than an isolated criminal case.
And when a criminal organization allegedly claims to have hundreds—or even thousands—of people willing to carry out violence, law enforcement tends to pay attention.