US Indictment Reveals Transnational Crime Network of Punjab Gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria
A 44-page US federal indictment has shed light on the operations of Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, a Punjab-based gangster who has allegedly built a transnational criminal enterprise spanning India, the United States, and Canada. The indictment, filed in a federal court in California, details how Bhagwanpuria and his associates engaged in drug trafficking, extortion, and murder conspiracies.
Bhagwanpuria, 38, whose real name is Jagdeep Singh, hails from Bhagwanpur village in Gurdaspur district. His mother, Harjit Kaur, served as the village sarpanch. A former kabaddi player, Bhagwanpuria first came to the attention of law enforcement in 2012 when Punjab Police booked him under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act for alleged recovery of 28 grams of heroin. Although acquitted in that case, authorities consider it his entry into organized crime.
The indictment also places Bhagwanpuria alongside his former ally-turned-rival Lawrence Bishnoi, revealing how two gangsters who once collaborated allegedly built competing global syndicates. According to the charges, Bhagwanpuria's group worked with a Punjab police officer to target perceived rivals with false accusations and extortion demands.
The allegations include that Bhagwanpuria directed operations from outside India, using encrypted communication to coordinate drug shipments and contract killings. The US Department of Justice has charged several individuals linked to the syndicate, including some based in California and Canada.
This development highlights the growing concern over transnational crime originating from Punjab and the challenges faced by law enforcement agencies in India and abroad in tackling such networks.
