Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown and Peel Regional Police are welcoming the federal government’s decision to designate the Bishnoi Gang as a terrorist entity under the Criminal Code of Canada, a move they say will provide critical new tools to fight organized crime and protect local communities.
Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree announced the designation Monday, confirming that Bishnoi Gang now meets the legal definition of a terrorist group. The listing allows Canadian authorities to freeze assets, seize property, and pursue terrorist financing, recruitment, and travel offences linked to the group.
Mayor Brown, who along with Councillors Navjit Kaur Brar, Harkirat Singh, and Gurpartap Singh Toor had urged Prime Minister Mark Carney to take action earlier this year, praised the move:
“The Bishnoi Gang is sophisticated and ruthless. If law enforcement is to dismantle their networks, we must match—or exceed—that sophistication. This designation gives police and security agencies the authority to follow their money, interdict recruitment, and shut down transit and communication links that enable their operations,” Brown said in a statement.
Led by Lawrence Bishnoi from prison in India, the gang has been linked to murders, extortion, and intimidation campaigns across Canada, particularly targeting members of the South Asian diaspora.
Coun. Gurpartap Singh Toor said the federal government has answered the call of municipalities like Brampton:
“This is a step in the right direction. My hope is that through this designation, our police and law enforcement agencies will have more tools at their disposal to crack down on transnational crime happening on Canadian soil, putting lives at risk. I believe this will make Brampton safer.”
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Peel Regional Police said the designation will provide “more levers in our efforts to battle extortions, homicides, and intimidation” affecting South Asian communities:
“Our Indian community represents one of the largest diasporas in Canada. This important measure will help Peel Regional Police, and other services nationally, provide support and relief to those who may be targeted by this terrorist group.”
With Bishnoi’s addition, there are now 88 groups listed as terrorist entities under the Criminal Code.
Public Safety Minister Anandasangaree emphasized the impact:
“Specific communities have been targeted for terror, violence, and intimidation by the Bishnoi Gang. Listing this group gives us more powerful and effective tools to confront and stop their crimes.”