Federal agents conducted a series of raids across California and other locations Tuesday, dismantling a significant portion of the India-based Bishnoi Gang's operations in the United States. The coordinated takedown, dubbed "Operation Hard Ball," resulted in the arrest of at least a dozen individuals in California and dozens more across the U.S., Canada, and Europe.
The Bishnoi Gang, described as a vicious transnational organized crime syndicate, is accused of extensive involvement in extortion, drug trafficking, and orchestrating "barbaric" assassinations. Los Angeles federal agents led the global effort against the syndicate, which has been linked to the killings of political figures, industrialists, actors, and musicians in North America and India.
During the investigation, authorities seized over 2,200 pounds of cocaine and heroin, $40,000 in cash, and a dozen firearms. At least five defendants were arrested in the Bay Area and seven in the Los Angeles area.
"The defendants charged in today's indictment are alleged to have engaged in some of the most violent and barbaric activities we've seen," said top Los Angeles prosecutor Bill Esayli. "There will be zero tolerance for violent gangs in our communities, especially those from foreign nations who are not legally present in our country."
The Bishnoi Gang is designated as a terrorist organization by the Canadian government and has been accused of infiltrating Cricket Canada to engage in match-fixing and corruption.
Criminal Enterprise and Alleged Crimes
"Operation Hard Ball" is the culmination of a multi-year federal investigation into three Indian crime syndicates, with the Bishnoi Gang at the center. The gang is led by Lawrence Bishnoi, 33, who is currently imprisoned in India but allegedly directs operations from his jail cell. He is said to delegate control to trusted lieutenants for activities including targeted killings, shootings, kidnappings, maimings, assaults, extortion, and drug trafficking.
Court documents allege that the gang was responsible for the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent political and religious leader from India who was living in Canada. Bishnoi is accused of ordering two gunmen to kill Nijjar in 2023 as he left a Sikh temple in British Columbia.
The Bishnoi Gang is also accused of targeting prominent religious, social, and political leaders, using violence to terrorize communities and facilitate extortion. In January, the gang allegedly demanded a $5 million payment from a wealthy resident in Thousand Oaks, California.
Evidence suggests the gang funded its operations through international drug trafficking and by stealing shipments from rival gangs. From March 2024 to July 2025, the Bishnoi gang allegedly stole over 1,100 pounds of cocaine from other drug trafficking organizations in Los Angeles. The gang transported cocaine via long-haul semi-trucks from the U.S. to Canada.
The indictment charges Bishnoi and eight other defendants with racketeering, extortion, and drug trafficking offenses involving cocaine and methamphetamine.
Associated Gangs Targeted
In addition to the Bishnoi Gang, federal agents also targeted members of the Bhagwanpuria Gang, founded by Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, an associate-turned-rival of Bishnoi who is also imprisoned in India. The Bhagwanpuria Gang reportedly has over 1,000 members and associates globally, with more than 100 in the U.S. Prosecutors allege this gang engaged in murder-for-hire, drug trafficking, kidnappings, extortion, and weapons trafficking.
Members of the Bhagwanpuria Gang in Stockton, California, and other areas are accused of extorting victims and profiting from drug trafficking and illegal firearms dealing.
British Columbia resident Ravinder Singh Dhanda, 57, was also charged for allegedly smuggling hundreds of pounds of cocaine and methamphetamine weekly from the U.S. into Canada. His gang reportedly used semi-trucks and farming trucks to transport drugs from various locations in Southern California to the U.S.-Canada border.
The FBI, LAPD, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police collaborated on the arrests. The Bishnoi Gang is known for its affiliation with an eco-religious sect that worships the Blackbuck antelope, considering it a reincarnation of their spiritual guru.