24 Arrested in Global Sweep Targeting Lawrence Bishnoi Gang, US Says
A coordinated law enforcement operation spanning the United States, Canada, and Europe has led to the arrest of 24 individuals linked to India-based transnational organized crime networks, according to the United States Attorney's Office for the Central District of California.
The operation, named 'Operation Hard Ball,' targeted three criminal organizations accused of murder, drug trafficking, extortion, and other violent crimes affecting communities in North America and beyond. Federal prosecutors unsealed three indictments charging 37 defendants in total.
Among those arrested were 13 suspects in the United States—11 in California, one in Indiana, and one in Georgia. Three additional arrests were made in Canada, and one in Spain. Seven defendants were already in custody prior to the operation. Authorities continue to search for 10 fugitives believed to be in the United States, India, or Europe.
Investigators seized approximately one metric ton of cocaine, one kilogram of heroin, about $40,000 in cash, and a dozen firearms. Search warrants were executed at dozens of locations, including 23 properties in the Sacramento area and 11 across Los Angeles.
Officials described the investigation as a significant blow to sophisticated criminal organizations that allegedly used violence, intimidation, and drug trafficking to build influence within Indian diaspora communities worldwide. First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli stated, 'Transnational criminal gangs who spread fear, drugs, and violence will face the full force of justice.'
The Federal Bureau of Investigation said the operation targeted groups accused of terrorizing communities through targeted killings, extortion, kidnappings, narcotics trafficking, and firearms offenses.
One of the central figures is Lawrence Bishnoi, a 33-year-old gangster currently imprisoned in India. According to federal prosecutors, Bishnoi allegedly directed an international criminal network from prison using contraband mobile phones and encrypted devices. The indictment claims he cultivated a public image as a nationalist and religious figure while 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 Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Khalistani separatist, identified in court documents as 'H.S.N.' Nijjar was fatally shot outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia. 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.
Investigators say the Bishnoi organization used social media, encrypted messaging, and public claims of responsibility to create fear among business owners, religious leaders, and political figures within Indian diaspora communities. The group is also accused of running sophisticated extortion operations targeting victims in California.
