According to federal prosecutors, Bishnoi allegedly directed an international criminal network from inside prison using contraband mobile phones and encrypted internet communication devices.
A sweeping international law enforcement operation targeting India-based transnational organized crime networks, including the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, has resulted in the arrest of 24 suspects across the United States, Canada, and Europe, marking one of the most significant crackdowns in recent years on criminal syndicates accused of murder, drug trafficking, extortion, and cross-border violence.
The coordinated enforcement action, dubbed Operation Hard Ball, was announced by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. Authorities said the operation followed a years-long investigation involving American, Canadian, and European law enforcement agencies into three major criminal organizations allegedly responsible for a wide range of violent and organized crimes affecting communities across North America and beyond.
Federal prosecutors have unsealed three separate indictments charging 37 defendants in total. Among those arrested were 13 suspects in the United States, including 11 in California, one in Indiana, and one in Georgia. Three additional arrests were made in Canada and one in Spain, while seven defendants were already in custody before the coordinated operation. Authorities are still searching for 10 fugitives believed to be located in the United States, India, and Europe.
Investigators also seized approximately one metric ton of cocaine, one kilogram of heroin, around $40,000 in cash, and a dozen firearms during the operation. Search warrants were executed at dozens of locations, including 23 properties in the Sacramento area and 11 locations across Los Angeles.
Officials described the investigation as a major blow to sophisticated criminal organizations that allegedly used violence, intimidation, and international drug trafficking to build influence within Indian diaspora communities worldwide.
“Transnational criminal gangs who spread fear, drugs, and violence will face the full force of justice,” First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli said, emphasizing that law enforcement agencies from the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia worked together to dismantle organizations operating across multiple continents.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation said the operation targeted criminal groups accused of terrorizing communities through targeted killings, extortion schemes, kidnappings, narcotics trafficking, and firearms offenses.
One of the most serious allegations centers on the Bishnoi criminal enterprise, led by Lawrence Bishnoi, a 33-year-old gangster currently imprisoned in India. According to federal prosecutors, Bishnoi allegedly directed an international criminal network from inside prison using contraband mobile phones and encrypted internet communication devices.
The indictment alleges Bishnoi cultivated a public image as a nationalist and religious figure while secretly overseeing a sprawling criminal enterprise involved in political assassinations, murders, kidnappings, extortion, drug trafficking, and human smuggling.
Among the charges is the alleged orchestration of the June 18, 2023, assassination of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, identified in court documents only as “H.S.N.” The victim, who lived in Surrey, British Columbia, was fatally shot outside a Sikh temple.
Prosecutors allege Bishnoi and his North American lieutenant, Satinderjeet Singh, also known as “Goldy Brar,” ordered the killing. Canadian authorities designated the Bishnoi organization as a terrorist entity in 2025, reflecting growing concerns over its alleged involvement in politically motivated violence.
According to investigators, the Bishnoi organization used social media, encrypted messaging platforms, and public claims of responsibility for violent attacks to create fear among business owners, religious leaders, and political figures, particularly within Indian diaspora communities.
Federal prosecutors also accuse the group of running sophisticated extortion operations targeting victims in California, including residents in Los Angeles and Thousand Oaks, where millions of dollars were allegedly demanded under threats of violence.
Beyond extortion, authorities allege the organization financed its activities through international cocaine trafficking and by stealing drug shipments from rival criminal organizations. Investigators claim the gang was linked to more than 520 kilograms of stolen cocaine in the Los Angeles region between 2024 and 2025.
A second indictment targets the Bhagwanpuria criminal syndicate, allegedly founded by imprisoned Indian gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, once considered an associate of Bishnoi before becoming a rival.
Federal prosecutors allege the Bhagwanpuria network expanded into a global organization with more than 1,000 members and associates operating across India, the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
Authorities claim the organization engaged in contract killings, drug trafficking, kidnapping, illegal firearms dealing, and extortion. Prosecutors further allege the syndicate corrupted law enforcement officials in India, using false criminal complaints to intimidate rivals and extort victims.
One defendant allegedly threatened an Ohio family while being held in immigration custody, warning he would shoot their children if demands were not met.
The third indictment focuses on an alleged international drug smuggling organization headed by Ravinder Singh Dhanda, based in Vancouver, Canada.
According to prosecutors, the network transported hundreds of kilograms of cocaine and methamphetamine every week from Southern California into Canada using long-haul commercial trucks. In some cases, narcotics were allegedly concealed inside farm vehicles traveling across the border.
Investigators specifically linked the organization to the movement of more than 430 kilograms of cocaine between 2023 and 2024.
Law enforcement officials from multiple agencies described the operation as an example of unprecedented international cooperation against organized crime.
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said the operation reflected a shared commitment among local, federal, and international agencies to dismantle violent criminal organizations and improve public safety.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Commissioner Mike Duheme said the investigation disrupted criminal groups that relied on murder, intimidation, and fear to control victims in both Canada and the United States, adding that authorities would continue pursuing organized crime networks wherever they operate.
