Classified intelligence records obtained by Global News reveal that the Canadian franchise of the Bishnoi gang has relied heavily on Indian youths entering the country on student visas, mirroring a dramatic surge in criminal charges among Indian student permit holders between 2016 and 2024. According to a December 2025 Canada Border Services Agency tactical guide titled “The Bishnoi Gang: An Emerging Threat in Canada,” the criminal organization expanded its operations through international students while exploiting immigration programs for extortion, shootings, and high-profile assassinations.
The CBSA Intelligence Report and Visa Demographics
The CBSA report documents a sharp escalation in criminal activity linked to foreign nationals on study and work permits. According to the document, crimes committed by Indian student permit holders soared 8,800 per cent between 2016 and 2024, positioning India as the top source country for foreign students facing criminal charges. Between 2019 and 2023, 4,000 Indian citizens on study permits were charged with 17,929 offenses, with roughly one-third classified as serious or organized crime and 97 per cent deemed violent.
While overall Canadian extortion rates dipped 10 per cent in 2024, the number of Indian citizens charged with extortion spiked 47 per cent that same year. Investigators noted that these extortion cases frequently involved demands from Bishnoi members paired with the names of suspects holding student or work visas. Criminologist and former CBSA officer Prof. Kelly Sundberg stated that the wide-open, honor-based foreign student program lacked adequate screening, effectively allowing gang leaders entry and establishing a vulnerable recruitment pool.
Did You Know? Goldy Brar arrived in Canada in 2017 ostensibly to attend Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, B.C., though records indicate it remains unknown if he ever actually attended class.
Operational Methods and High-Profile Violence
Goldy Brar utilized his student visa to establish the North American operations of the Bishnoi gang before attempting a refugee claim in February 2019, according to intelligence records. Brar allegedly oversaw the recruitment of Indian youths in Edmonton and Brampton, Ontario, to carry out violent acts, including the June 18, 2023, killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a Surrey, B.C., temple. Canadian authorities have examined potential overlaps between the criminal network and state-linked actors regarding the assassination.
The gang’s primary revenue generator involved sending threatening WhatsApp messages to South Asian Canadians demanding large sums of money, followed by drive-by shootings at victims’ homes and businesses if demands went unmet. In September 2024, an Indian student visa holder named Abjeet Kingra fired 14 shots at the Colwood, B.C., home of Punjabi musician A.P. Dhillon. Kingra testified during deportation proceedings that a colleague offered him $4,000 for the shooting because he was struggling financially while living in Canada.
Expert Insight: According to criminology professor Wade Diesman, the primary objective of the Bishnoi gang extends beyond simple financial profit through extortion. The tactics are designed to create a public safety crisis where local diaspora communities submit to an ongoing taxation scheme.
Enforcement Actions and Internal Gang Fractures
In response to the rising violence, Canadian authorities established task forces such as Project SEVA, led by the RCMP, to investigate foreign interference and organized crime. Immigration and Refugee Board deportation hearings over a six-month period have frequently cited the CBSA tactical guide while addressing student visa holders involved in shootings across British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario. Despite temporary declines in extortion rates in hard-hit areas like Surrey due to heightened police investigations, experts warn that criminal networks may simply be driving their operations underground.
Meanwhile, leadership fractures have emerged within the gang itself following disputes over legal troubles faced by Lawrence Bishnoi’s brother, Amnol, in the United States. Following public fallouts between Brar, Rohit Godara, and Lawrence Bishnoi—who has directed operations from an Indian prison since 2015—the U.S. unsealed an indictment on July 7 charging the key figures with racketeering.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Goldy Brar enter Canada?
Goldy Brar entered Canada in 2017 using a student visa ostensibly to attend Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, B.C., though records show it is unknown if he ever attended classes.
What connection did the CBSA report find between immigration and the Bishnoi gang?
The CBSA intelligence report concluded that the Bishnoi gang’s Canadian franchise relied heavily on Indian nationals entering the country on study and work permits who were subsequently recruited into organized crime and extortion activities.
Where is Lawrence Bishnoi currently located?
Lawrence Bishnoi has been held in an Indian prison since 2015, from where intelligence reports indicate he has continued to orchestrate gang operations using cell phones.
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