SACRAMENTO (TIP): Federal authorities arrested 24 people in the United States and two other countries accused of being part of organized criminal elements tied to India, reports the BBC.
This comes after a one-year long investigation in the U.S., Canada and Europe. One of those groups has been accused in the plot to kill Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. In total, 37 defendants face charges in three separate indictments.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office says 11 of those arrested in what’s known as Operation Hard Ball are in California.
The CBC reports that prosecutors say the three alleged criminal groups “engaged in widespread violence, including targeted killings, extortions and kidnappings,” while “flooding communities” with cocaine and methamphetamines.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Deputy Commissioner Lisa Moreland told the CBC it found no evidence tying the Indian government to the alleged crimes.
The World Sikh Organization said in a statement “While welcoming today’s enforcement action, WSO is concerned that significant questions remain unanswered regarding the role of agents of the Government of India,”
SALDEF (Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund) welcomed the coordinated international law enforcement effort that resulted in the arrest of the 24 individuals allegedly connected to India-based transnational organized crime groups operating across the United States, Canada, and Europe.
This action represents an important step towards accountability. According to federal prosecutors, the charges encompass a range of serious offenses, including racketeering, targeted violence, and allegations related to the 2023 assassination of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.
These developments underscore the serious threat posed by transnational criminal networks and reinforce the need for continued efforts to investigate and address transnational repression affecting Sikh communities abroad.
SALDEF remains committed to advocating for policies that protect individuals from transnational repression, supporting accountability through the rule of law, and safeguarding the rights and security of Sikh Americans and all communities targeted by transnational repression and violence.“Transnational criminal gangs who spread fear, drugs, and violence will face the full force of justice and the weight of the federal government,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli said in a statement. “Working together, law enforcement in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Asia are determined to target and dismantle these criminal organizations wherever they operate. There is no safe harbor for these thugs.”
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