Canada declares Lawrence Bishnoi gang a terrorist organization, targets violent diaspora crime

The Canadian government has formally designated the Lawrence Bishnoi gang as a terrorist entity under the Criminal Code, empowering authorities to freeze assets, seize property, and prosecute affiliates while banning any financial or material support from Canadians.

Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree described the move as giving law enforcement “enhanced powers to combat a group that has instilled fear through violence and intimidation.” The gang, originating from Rajasthan, India, has a long reach across British Columbia, Ontario, and Alberta, and has been linked to more than 50 violent incidents in Canada since 2023.

High-profile attacks include firebombings at the homes of Punjabi musicians A P Dhillon and Gippy Grewal, a shooting at comedian Kapil Sharma’s Surrey café in August, and widespread extortion campaigns targeting South Asian communities.

The designation comes after sustained political and community pressure. British Columbia Premier David Eby labeled the gang “state-sponsored terror on our soil” when urging Prime Minister Mark Carney in June to act.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown, Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre added their calls, with NDP MPs and Shadow Public Safety Minister Frank Caputo formally requesting the designation in August.

The gang has also been linked to high-profile murders in Canada, including the 2023 killing of Khalistan activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, which RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme has described as tied to state-sponsored operations — claims India has denied.

Experts, however, warn that the impact of the terrorist designation may be limited due to Canada’s “lack of capacity in gathering criminal intelligence,” according to Wesley Wark of the Centre for International Governance Innovation.

Key figures running Bishnoi’s Canadian operations include Goldy Brar, a 29-year-old gangster based in Surrey who fled India in 2017. Brar publicly claimed responsibility for the 2022 murder of Punjabi rapper Sidhu Moose Wala and has coordinated extortion rackets and targeted hits using encrypted communication apps. Despite reports of a rift between Brar and Bishnoi in June 2025, Brar remains a central figure in the gang’s operations, which also involve smaller allied groups such as Brampton’s Brothers Keepers.

Since 2023, RCMP investigations have traced the gang’s involvement in multiple killings, including the 2023 murder of Sukhdool Singh Gill in Edmonton and the 2025 killing of Brampton businessman Harjit Singh, both claimed or linked publicly to Bishnoi affiliates.

The move comes as Canada-India relations show tentative signs of improvement, with high commissioners reinstated following the June G7 summit. Analysts suggest Ottawa’s designation could strengthen efforts to extradite Bishnoi associates, including Goldy Brar, and curb the gang’s transnational reach.