# Report says Bishnoi gang exploited Canadian student visa system 2026-08-07T10:40:43+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet A classified Canada Border Services Agency report says the Lawrence Bishnoi gang used student visas and work permits to build a criminal network in Canada. Global News, which reported on the findings, said the gang carried out extortion, shootings, murders and other organised crimes across British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario. It allegedly recruited Indian youth and initially targeted Khalistan supporters and businessmen before expanding threats to other Indian-origin communities. The report said 2,418 Indian students faced charges in 2024, out of 188,125 Indian students in Canada that year. Between 2019 and 2023, 4,000 Indian citizens on study permits were charged with 17,929 offences, including 4,920 classified as serious or organised crime-related. Canada designated the Bishnoi gang a terrorist entity in September 2025. ## Coverage - newindianexpress.com Tags: Canada, Indian students, Lawrence Bishnoi gang, Organised crime, student visas Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/report-says-bishnoi-gang-exploited-canadian-student-visa-system/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/report-says-bishnoi-gang-exploited-canadian-student-visa-system/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.