Surrey officials plans to announce a new initiative to combat extortion cases plaguing South Asian business owners and families.

Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke and Surrey Police Service Chief Const. Norm Lipinski are expected to hold a news conference at city hall at 9:30 a.m. Monday to announce their latest plan to address a recent spike in extortion cases.

Surrey police told Postmedia last week that it has received 39 reports of extortion , including 27 involving shootings.

Most recently, a home was shot up in the 14300-block 28th Avenue in South Surrey. Police said it was linked to “an ongoing extortion investigation.”

Businesses targeted by extortionists are varied and include a banquet hall, car wash, a currency exchange company, a trucking company and a music producer.

In July, RCMP

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