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COVER STORY JULY 17, 2026 | The Indian Eye 4

BISHNOI-BRAR GANG

HOW THEY

GOT BUSTED

The sweeping US crackdown on Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar marks
the first time US investigators have publicly mapped the international reach of

an India-based organized crime network

OUR BUREAU work, while the Bhagwanpuria orga-
nization-maintained members across
Washington, DC / New Delhi
the United States, Canada, Britain,
hen the US Department of Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
Justice unveiled “Opera- Collectively, these allegations
Wtion Hard Ball” this week, suggest investigators are examining
it did more than announce criminal an ecosystem rather than isolated
charges against some of India’s most gangs.
notorious gangsters. It signaled a fun- Once largely confined to Pun-
damental shift in how Western law jab’s gang wars, Lawrence Bishnoi
enforcement agencies view organized has emerged as one of India’s most
crime emanating from the Indian feared organized crime figures, with
subcontinent. investigators linking his syndicate to
For years, Lawrence Bishnoi a string of high-profile murders, ex-
and his close associate Satinderjeet tortion rackets, arms trafficking and
Singh alias Goldy Brar were largely intimidation campaigns. Operating
seen in India through the prism of despite spending years behind bars,
Punjab’s gang wars, extortion rackets Bishnoi allegedly built a decentral-
and high-profile murders. The latest ized network that used associates
US indictments, however, portray a across several states and abroad to
far more sophisticated organization target businessmen, politicians, ce-
-- one operating across multiple ju- lebrities and rival gangsters. The
risdictions, using international drug 2022 killing of Punjabi singer Sidhu
trafficking networks, extortion rings Moosewala brought unprecedented
and contract killers while stretching Once largely confined to Punjab’s gang wars, Lawrence Bishnoi has emerged as attention to the gang’s reach. Indi-
from India to Canada, the United one of India’s most feared organized crime figures, with investigators linking his syndicate an investigative agencies believe the
States, Mexico and Europe. to a string of high-profile murders, extortion rackets, arms trafficking and intimidation syndicate has increasingly expanded
The operation also marks the campaigns (File photo) beyond domestic crime, forging links
first major American criminal pros- with transnational narcotics networks
ecution directly linking the Bishnoi and using overseas operatives, partic-
organization to the June 2023 as- chitecture investigators claim to have transnational enterprises involved in ularly in Canada and North Ameri-
sassination of Khalistani separatist uncovered. violent crimes, narcotics trafficking, ca, to coordinate extortion, contract
Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a gurd- According to the US Depart- firearms smuggling and international killings and organized criminal ac-
wara in Surrey, British Columbia. ment of Justice, the operation has extortion. Cocaine and firearms were tivities. The latest US indictments
US prosecutors have alleged that resulted in 37 defendants being seized during the operation, sug- suggest that what began as a regional
Bishnoi and Brar orchestrated the charged through three federal indict- gesting investigators are examining criminal enterprise has evolved into a
killing, though they emphasized that ments, while 24 suspects linked to financial and logistical networks that global organized crime network.
the charges remain allegations until India-based organized crime groups extend well beyond India’s borders. The priority target
proven in court. have already been arrested across the The indictments also identify
Transnational crime network United States, Canada and Europe. other alleged organized crime fig- he FBI’s announcement of a
Investigators allege the syn- ures, including Jaggu Bhagwanpuria reward of up to USD 50,000
he significance of Operation dicates are no longer confined to and Ravinder Singh Dhanda. Pros- Tfor information leading to
Hard Ball lies less in the names traditional criminal activities in In- ecutors allege Dhanda operated an Goldy Brar’s arrest reflects the cen-
Tof those charged than in the ar- dia. Instead, they have evolved into international drug distribution net- Continued on next page... >>

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