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Federal indictments charge 37 in transnational gang operation; Fresno kidnapping among alleged crimes
Federal authorities unsealed three indictments Tuesday charging 37 alleged members of India-based transnational criminal organizations with crimes including murder, kidnapping, and drug trafficking. Eleven arrests occurred in California.
The indictments, filed in the Central District of California, target the Bishnoi, Bhagwanpuria, and Dhanda criminal organizations. Twenty-four arrests occurred across the United States, Canada, and Europe as part of “Operation Hard Ball.”
A July 10, 2024 incident in Fresno appears in the 44-page Bhagwanpuria indictment. According to the filing, alleged gang member Amritpal Singh Bal and three other defendants drove to a Fresno apartment after restraining and assaulting an individual in Manteca. The victim had allegedly stolen a drug load.
At the Fresno location, Bal and others demanded $50,000 from the victim. Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, the organization’s leader, later directed the victim’s release to resolve an internal dispute within the gang.
The indictment alleges Gurdev Singh murdered a family member of that victim. Singh is also accused of attempting to extort victims while in ICE custody.
Bhagwanpuria, 38, allegedly directed global operations from a jail cell in India using contraband cellphones. His organization allegedly managed multiple drug smuggling networks in California, each led by a regional leader.
“The gang’s leader, defendant Bhagwanpuria, personally directed the transportation and distribution of large loads of cocaine within California from his jail in India,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli stated at Tuesday’s press conference.
Drug loads typically contained 100 kilograms or more of cocaine or methamphetamine. The organizations allegedly used commercial semi-trucks to transport drugs weekly across the U.S. and into Canada.
Authorities seized approximately 1,000 kilograms of cocaine, 1 kilogram of heroin, $40,000 in cash, and 12 firearms. Twenty-three search warrants were executed in the Sacramento area; 11 in the Los Angeles area.
Lawrence Bishnoi, 33, is charged as head of a separate organization. Prosecutors allege he directed political assassinations, murders, kidnappings, and drug trafficking from an Indian jail cell. He and associate Satinderjeet Singh allegedly ordered the June 2023 assassination of a religious and political leader in British Columbia.
Fifteen defendants are in the U.S. illegally, according to Essayli. Authorities are searching for seven fugitives in the U.S., two in India, and one in Europe.
Essayli stated federal authorities expect Bhagwanpuria and Bishnoi to be extradited to the U.S. within weeks.
The Breakdown
- Three federal indictments unsealed Tuesday charge 37 people with crimes including murder, kidnapping, extortion, and drug trafficking
- The organizations targeted: Bishnoi, Bhagwanpuria, and Dhanda, all based in India
- Eleven arrests occurred in California; 24 total in the U.S., Canada, and Europe
- A July 2024 kidnapping and extortion incident in Fresno appears in the Bhagwanpuria indictment
- Authorities seized 1,000 kilograms of cocaine, 1 kilogram of heroin, $40,000 cash, and 12 firearms
- Fifteen defendants are alleged to be in the U.S. illegally
- Both Bhagwanpuria and Bishnoi allegedly directed operations from jail cells in India
What This Means for You
The indictments document organized criminal activity reaching into Fresno and federal prosecution of charges across multiple jurisdictions.
What to Watch
The material states Bhagwanpuria and Bishnoi allegedly directed criminal operations from jail cells in India using contraband cellphones. Federal authorities expect extradition within weeks. Whether extradition occurs as stated will be a key development in the case. The indictments allege fifteen defendants are in the U.S. illegally — a detail presented by prosecutors as part of the case narrative.
