U.S. federal prosecutors unsealed three indictments charging 37 people tied to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang — including the alleged orchestration of a Canadian Sikh leader’s assassination — in a sweeping international crackdown called Operation Hard Ball.
Story Highlights
- Three federal indictments charge 37 defendants with racketeering, extortion, and drug trafficking linked to the Bishnoi criminal network.
- Gang leader Lawrence Bishnoi is accused of supplying a photo and home address of Hardeep Singh Nijjar to co-conspirators before Nijjar’s 2023 murder in Canada.
- Raids hit 50 locations across California, Canada, and other areas, resulting in multiple arrests and seizures of weapons and drugs.
- A Canada Border Services Agency employee is accused of leaking raid details and movement information to gang members.
What Operation Hard Ball Uncovered
On July 7, 2026, U.S. prosecutors unsealed three federal indictments naming 37 defendants in what authorities call Operation Hard Ball. The charges include racketeering, extortion, and drug trafficking. The operation targeted members of the Bishnoi criminal network — a gang with roots in India that prosecutors say has been running violent operations across North America for years.
Raids took place at roughly 50 locations spanning California and Canada. Agents seized weapons and drugs during the sweep. At least three arrests were made in Canada, with named suspects linked to addresses in British Columbia. The operation was a joint effort between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Canadian law enforcement partners.
Gang Leader Tied to Assassination Plot
The indictments name Lawrence Bishnoi as a central figure. Prosecutors allege he gave co-conspirators a photograph and the home address of Hardeep Singh Nijjar — a Canadian Sikh separatist leader — before Nijjar was shot and killed in Surrey, British Columbia, in June 2023. That killing had already sparked a major diplomatic dispute between Canada and India. Now U.S. charges place the Bishnoi gang directly in the middle of it.
Beyond the Nijjar killing, the indictments detail a pattern of violent extortion in Canada. Prosecutors allege the gang threatened a resident in Brampton, Ontario, shot at the home of an Indian singer, and sent death threats to the owner of an immigration business in Surrey. These are not vague accusations — they name specific targets, locations, and methods, pointing to a well-organized criminal operation spanning two countries.
Alleged Insider at the Canadian Border Agency
One of the most alarming claims in the indictments involves a suspected insider. Prosecutors allege that an employee of the Canada Border Services Agency leaked raid schedules and movement details to gang members. That kind of corruption — if proven — would mean a government worker was actively helping a violent criminal network stay one step ahead of law enforcement. The agency has not publicly confirmed or denied the allegation.
Lawrence Bishnoi ran global crime network from Indian jail, US indictment alleges
US federal indictment in 'Operation Hard Ball' alleges Lawrence Bishnoi ran a global crime network from an Indian prison, directing murders, extortion and trafficking acro…… pic.twitter.com/1WuG6PLyyi
— NationPress (@np_nationpress) July 8, 2026
Bishnoi himself has denied all allegations against him. He is currently imprisoned in India, yet U.S. prosecutors allege he ran the network from behind bars. Organized crime experts have long noted that criminal groups exploit Canada’s ports and transportation hubs — especially in British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec — to run transnational operations. The Bishnoi network appears to fit that pattern precisely. The FBI has also announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Goldy Brar, a key Bishnoi associate also charged in the indictments.
