Three Canadians are among those arrested. The RCMP calls the international sweep a major blow to India-based syndicates that have spread fear through diaspora communities.
U.S. federal prosecutors have charged jailed Indian gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his North American lieutenant, Satinderjeet Singh — known as “Goldy Brar” — with ordering the 2023 assassination of a Sikh community leader outside a Surrey gurdwara, the centrepiece Canadian crime in a sweeping international takedown that produced 24 arrests across the United States, Canada, and Europe.
The coordinated action, dubbed “Operation Hard Ball,” was announced July 7 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. In total, 37 defendants — including two accused who allegedly ran their syndicates from inside Indian prisons — are charged across three indictments tied to three India-based transnational crime groups. Of those, 24 are in custody and 10 remain fugitives, including Brar, for whom the FBI has posted a reward of up to $50,000.
Canada at the centre
Three of the arrests were made in Canada, and the RCMP says it played a central role in the years-long investigation while running a parallel probe into South Asian organized crime. RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme said the partners disrupted criminals who used “murder, cruelty and fear” to extort and control people in Canada and the U.S.
Court documents identify the assassinated leader only by the initials “H.S.N.” — described as a prominent political and religious figure from Punjab who was living in Canada, shot by two gunmen as he left a Sikh temple in Surrey, B.C., on June 18, 2023. The details match the widely reported killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, whom multiple outlets have named in connection with the case. The Canadian government designated the Bishnoi enterprise a terrorist entity in September 2025.
A campaign of fear in the diaspora
Prosecutors allege the Bishnoi group deliberately cultivated a climate of fear among Indian diaspora communities worldwide, then exploited it to extort victims — amplifying its violence through online videos and social media posts. Threats were delivered over WhatsApp and other encrypted apps, including a demand that a Thousand Oaks, California, victim pay $5 million.
The indictment also cites a November 2023 shooting at the Vancouver-area residence of a prominent Indian actor and singer, after which Bishnoi allegedly claimed responsibility and posted a Punjabi-language warning: “no one can save you from us.”
The B.C. drug pipeline
Several Canada-based defendants are named across the three indictments, including Garinder Deo of Vancouver; Ravinder Singh Dhanda of Vancouver, who used the aliases “Randy,” “Rolex,” and “John Wick”; Jaskarn Baghri of Surrey; and Gurtej Singh Smagh of Creston, B.C. Prosecutors allege the networks smuggled hundreds of kilograms of cocaine and methamphetamine each week from the greater Los Angeles area to the U.S.–Canada border, concealed in long-haul semi-trucks and, at times, farm trucks.
Across the investigation, law enforcement seized roughly 1,000 kilograms of cocaine, one kilogram of heroin, a dozen firearms, and $40,000 in cash, executing dozens of search warrants in the Sacramento and Los Angeles areas.
Charges and what’s next
The defendants face charges including racketeering conspiracy, extortion, drug trafficking, and firearms offences. Many, if convicted, would face a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in federal prison. An indictment is only an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The FBI, the LAPD, the RCMP, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection led the investigation, with support from law enforcement in Spain and India and the FBI’s legal attaché office in Ottawa.
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Harnaik Singh Rathor is the Founder, Publisher, and Editor-in-Chief of StudioX News Canada, Canada's multilingual digital news network serving diaspora communities across 44 languages. With a background in media production, public relations, and multicultural communications, he founded StudioX Film and TV Corporation to bridge the gap between mainstream Canadian media and the country's diverse immigrant communities. He is a member of the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ), RTDNA Canada, CPRS Vancouver, Unifor, NEPMCC, and the Canada Freelance Union. Based in Surrey, British Columbia. | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harnaiksinghrathor/ | Muck Rack: https://muckrack.com/harnaiksinghrathor | Email: editor@studioxnews.ca
