The Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) played a part in a massive joint police operation that has dismantled an organized criminal network tied to extortion and insurance fraud within Ontario’s towing industry.
The investigation, known as Project Outsource, began in July 2024 and was led by Peel Regional Police with support from Halton, York, and Toronto police services, the OPP, and the Criminal Intelligence Service Ontario.
The probe uncovered two interlinked criminal components: one focused on extortion and violence, and the other rooted in the towing sector. Several individuals associated with towing companies Certified Roadside and Humble Roadside were accused of staging vehicle collisions and using firearms, threats, and violence to control local operations.
In total, 18 people have been arrested, facing 97 charges that include fraud, firearms offences, and criminal organization activity. The accused include a woman from King City (37-year-old Haleh Javady Torabi) and 17 men from Brampton – many of whom were already under court-ordered judicial release:
- Inderjit Dhami, 38
- Paritosh Chopra, 32
- Gurbinder Singh, 28
- Kulwinder Puri, 25
- Parminder Puri, 31
- Inderjit Bal, 29
- Varun Aul, 31
- Ketan Chopra, 30
- Norman Tazehkand, 32
- Pawandeep Singh, 25
- Dipanshu Garg, 24
- Rahul Verma, 27
- Karan Boparai, 26
- Mankirat Boparai, 22
- Simar Boparai, 21
- Jovan Singh, 23
- Abhinav Bhardwaj, 25
Authorities seized over $4.2 million in assets, including 18 tow trucks, luxury vehicles, stolen cars, firearms, ammunition, and weapons like a taser and a crossbow.
“Project Outsource is a testament to the power of police collaboration,” says Deputy Chief Jeff Hill, Halton Regional Police Service. “By combining resources and intelligence across jurisdictions, we’ve been able to strategically target violent and organized crime with greater precision and impact. This joint effort sends a clear message: criminal networks have no borders, and neither does law enforcement.”
Anyone with information regarding this investigation or has been a victim of similar acts of extortion is asked to contact Peel Regional Police at (905) 453-3131. Information may also be left anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or visiting www.peelcrimestoppers.ca.
