Bishnoi Gang Added to Terrorist List

Summary#

These final regulations add the Bishnoi Gang to the Regulations Establishing a List of Entities, making it a listed terrorist entity under the Criminal Code. The regulations were registered on September 28, 2025 and published in the Canada Gazette on October 8, 2025; they take effect on the day they were made (the registration date).

What it does#

• Adds Bishnoi Gang (also known by names such as Lawrence Bishnoi Gang, Bishnoi Group, Lawrence Bishnoi Group and Bishnoi Crime Group) to the list of entities in the Regulations Establishing a List of Entities.
• Once listed, the group’s property can be seized, restrained or forfeited. Institutions must not let the group access its property and must report information about that property.
• Requires banks, brokerages and similar institutions to update their terrorist-entity lists and follow counter‑terrorist‑financing rules and reporting obligations.
• Makes criminal offences that apply to terrorist groups easier to enforce against the listed entity (for example, laws against knowingly participating in or supporting a terrorist group).
• The government consulted several federal partners (including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), Public Safety Canada, the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada, the Canada Border Services Agency, the Department of Justice and Global Affairs Canada) before listing. No public consultation was done for this change.

Who's affected#

• Financial institutions (banks, brokerages, payment service providers) — must update lists and follow reporting and freezing rules.
• People or organizations that hold money or property for or on behalf of the Bishnoi Gang — their assets could be frozen or seized.
• Law enforcement and security agencies (for example, the RCMP and CSIS) — they will be involved in enforcement and investigations tied to the listing.
• Most Canadian small businesses are not expected to be affected, according to the government’s analysis.
• It is unclear from the notice exactly which assets or activities led to this specific listing beyond the government’s conclusion that there were reasonable grounds to believe the entity was involved in terrorist activity.

Why it matters#

• Freezing and reporting rules make it harder for the listed group to access funding or move money through Canada.
• The listing signals Canada’s stance on the group and helps the country meet international counter‑terrorism obligations.
• For ordinary people, the most direct effects are indirect: banks and other institutions will block or report suspicious transactions linked to the group, and dealing with or supporting the group can carry criminal penalties.
• The notice says the change has minimal administrative cost and should not harm small businesses, but it does increase monitoring and reporting duties for financial institutions.