White Rock man arrested in major U.S. federal investigation into Indian organized crime
Published 1:11 pm Wednesday, July 8, 2026
Three men from B.C. were taken into police custody Tuesday (July 7) in connection with a U.S. federal investigation into Indian crime groups that are known to engage in racketeering, targeted killings, shootings, extortion and drug trafficking across international borders.
The investigation, called “Operation Hard Ball,” has led to 24 arrests of individuals connected to three Indian-based transnational organized crime groups: Lawrence Bishnoi, Ravinder Dhanda and Jaggu Bhagwanpuria. Law enforcement is looking for 10 fugitives, seven in the U.S., two in India, and one in Europe.
The RCMP confirmed Wednesday (July 8) that Ravinder Dhanda, 57, of White Rock, B.C. Jaskarn Baghri, 50, of Surrey, B.C. and Gurtej Smagh, 43, of Creston, B.C., were taken into custody without incident.
The investigation, called “Operation Hard Ball,” has led to 24 arrests of individuals connected to three Indian-based transnational organized crime groups: Lawrence Bishnoi, Ravinder Dhanda and Jaggu Bhagwanpuria. Law enforcement is looking for 10 fugitives, seven in the U.S., two in India, and one in Europe.
READ MORE: Surrey man among 37 charged in major U.S. crackdown on Indian crime syndicates
The details of the crime groups were laid out in three recently unsealed grand jury indictments against Lawrence Bishnoi, Ravinder Dhanda, Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, and 34 others.
Email newsletter signup
All three B.C. men arrested are listed under the same indictment. White Rock’s Dhanda operated the cocaine and methamphetamine distribution network and, alongside Surrey’s Baghri a.k.a. Baba, he would “oversee and manage the storage, transportation of these controlled substances” across the U.S.-Canada border.
It alleges that the Creston man, also known as Simba, would get information from a person working with the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) about the timing and location of border inspections and other enforcement actions.
This information was used to “assist with smuggling” the cocaine and methamphetamine across the border.
The indictment alleges over 948 pounds of cocaine was shipped from July 2023 to November 2024 over international borders.
Dhanda, Baghri, Smagh and eight others have been charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, one count of conspiracy to export controlled substances, one count of operating a continuing criminal enterprise, and five counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine.