As allegations and counter-allegations continue, the RCMP report has shifted attention to a broader question: how organised crime networks entrenched themselves in Canada, and whether domestic enforcement gaps have enabled their growth
A confidential intelligence assessment by Canada’s national police service has brought renewed attention to the activities of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang in the country, triggering fresh debate amid a cautious thaw in India–Canada relations. According to a report by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), accessed by Vancouver-based Global News, the Bishnoi gang has been operating in Canada while allegedly “acting on behalf of the Indian government”—a claim New Delhi has consistently rejected.
The three-page, undated RCMP report describes the Lawrence Bishnoi group as a violent transnational criminal organisation with a “continually expanding presence” across several countries, including Canada. Despite being designated a terrorist organisation by Ottawa, the gang is said to have widened its operations in Canada over the past year. The report references alleged links between the gang and the Indian government multiple times, though no public evidence has been released to substantiate the claim.
According to the RCMP’s assessment, the Bishnoi gang is involved in serious organised crime, ranging from extortion and narcotics trafficking to money laundering and targeted killings. Canadian police have characterised the group’s primary motivation as financial gain rather than ideological, political, or religious objectives. The gang’s leader, Lawrence Bishnoi, is currently incarcerated in Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati Jail but is believed to continue directing his network through associates in India and abroad.
The disclosure of the report coincided with British Columbia Premier David Eby’s trade mission to India from January 12 to 17, underscoring the sensitive timing of the revelations. The development comes months after India and Canada appointed new envoys in August 2025, ending over 10 months of strained diplomatic ties. Relations had deteriorated following allegations by the previous Canadian government that Indian agencies were involved in espionage and acts of violence on Canadian soil—claims India dismissed as baseless and unsupported by evidence.
Indian officials have repeatedly stressed the need for stronger action against extremist and criminal elements operating from Canadian territory. In October last year, India’s Ministry of External Affairs said both countries had agreed to enhance intelligence-sharing and jointly combat organised crime. However, incidents such as extortion-related attacks on businesses, including a recent assault linked to Kapil Sharma’s Kap’s Cafe in Surrey, suggest persistent enforcement challenges.
Indian Ambassador to Canada Dinesh Patnaik has also pointed to what New Delhi sees as long-standing inaction by Canadian authorities despite repeated alerts.
