Toronto, Jan. 29 -- Two Punjab-origin men have been arrested by Canadian law enforcement in connection with a shooting episode linked to extortion, even as the mayor of a town hardest hit by such crime has called on the federal government to expedite removal of non-citizens charged in that regard. On Monday, local police located a vehicle suspected to have been involved in the alleged firing in the town of Surrey in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. The vehicle was stopped and the driver and passenger taken into custody. That followed after officers believed they heard a gunshot in the area. A loaded handgun was discovered and seized during the arrests. That action came as part of Project Assurance, an initiative in which the Surrey Police Service (SPS) "proactively patrols neighbourhoods and business areas targeted by extortions and extortion-related shootings," a release said on Tuesday. Harshdeep Singh, a 20-year-old male, was charged with one count of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and one count of occupying a vehicle knowing a firearm is present, and Hanspreet Singh, a 21-year-old male, was charged with one count of occupying a vehicle knowing a firearm was present. Both are foreign nationals and SPS has engaged Canada Border Services Agency on the matter. Meanwhile, Surrey mayor Brenda Locke urged the federal government to "declare a national state of emergency, or invoke equivalent extraordinary measures, to tackle the extortion crisis affecting communities across Canada". In a release issued on Tuesday, in English and Punjabi, Locke said, "Surrey is facing a serious and growing crisis of organised extortion, intimidation and targeted shootings." "Surrey is entering the third year of this crisis. Despite police and provincial efforts, these transnational crimes are not stopping, and we need a full-scale national effort," she added. The city council has called for the appointment of a Commissioner for Extortion Violence Against Canadians and sought implementation of measures including expedited removal of non-citizens charged or convicted of extortion, firearms offences, or participation in extortion-related criminal activity. She also called for immediate deployment of additional Royal Canadian Mounted Police, federal organised crime units, and intelligence resources to Surrey....