Federal law enforcement agencies in the United States and Canada announced charges against 37 individuals as part of a multiyear investigation called Operation Hard Ball, which targeted murder-for-hire plots, shootings, extortion, and drug trafficking. The investigation resulted in the charging of Lawrence Bishnoi, head of an Indian criminal organization currently imprisoned in Delhi, with orchestrating the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent Sikh activist who was killed outside a temple in Canada in 2023. Authorities also charged Satinderjeet Singh, known as Goldy Brar, as an accomplice in the killing. Bishnoi is alleged to have directed the operation from his prison cell using smuggled mobile phones and provided photographs and addresses to facilitate the assassination.
The killing of Nijjar created significant diplomatic strain between Canada and India. Canadian officials had stated there were credible allegations of Indian government involvement, prompting the exchange of diplomatic expulsions between the two nations. Nijjar was a leading figure in activism related to Khalistan, a proposed independent Sikh homeland. He had been designated as a terrorist by Indian authorities in India and held citizenship in Canada. The case remains before British Columbia’s supreme court, with four Indian nationals previously charged in May 2025 in connection with the murder.
The investigation also resulted in the seizure of approximately 1,000 kilograms of cocaine and a dozen firearms. Authorities continue searching for fugitives across multiple jurisdictions. Canadian officials characterized the charges as addressing a significant public safety crisis, noting that communities, particularly in British Columbia, have experienced elevated rates of extortion, shootings, and violent incidents. Law enforcement described the charged individuals as operating a sophisticated criminal enterprise spanning multiple countries and involving various criminal activities beyond the high-profile assassination.
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