Federal authorities in the United States and Canada announced charges against 37 operatives as part of Operation Hard Ball, a multiyear investigation targeting transnational criminal organizations engaged in murder-for-hire schemes, shootings, extortion, and drug trafficking. The announcement followed a press conference where members of the FBI and Royal Canadian Mounted Police detailed the dismantling of leadership structures within these criminal groups. Authorities continue searching for 10 fugitives across multiple jurisdictions, including seven in the US, two in India, and one in Europe.
The most prominent case involves Lawrence Bishnoi, an imprisoned Indian gang leader, who has been charged with orchestrating the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh activist and temple president who was killed in 2023 outside a temple in Canada. According to authorities, Bishnoi directed the operation using smuggled mobile phones and provided photos and addresses to co-conspirators. Satinderjeet Singh, also known as Goldy Brar, has been charged for his involvement in the killing and remains a fugitive in the US. Nijjar’s death triggered significant diplomatic tensions between Canada and India after Canadian government officials raised questions about potential Indian state involvement.
Nijjar was a prominent figure in activism related to Khalistan, a proposed independent Sikh homeland. While he was born in India and held Canadian citizenship, Indian authorities had designated him a terrorist and offered a reward for information leading to his arrest. Tensions over Sikh diaspora activism have persisted between India and Canada for years, with India repeatedly expressing concerns about what it characterizes as tolerance for individuals it views as extremists. Canada designated the Bishnoi organization as a terrorist entity in response to the charges.
The investigation also revealed involvement of Indian government officials in the case. Reports indicated that an employee at India’s Vancouver consulate, believed to be an intelligence officer with India’s external intelligence agency, provided information about Nijjar. Canadian authorities have stated that Nijjar’s murder represented a significant escalation in what they characterize as transnational repression efforts. The case has proceeded to British Columbia supreme court, where four Indian nationals were charged in May 2025 with murder and conspiracy related to the killing. India’s diplomatic envoy has denied involvement in foreign interference operations.
Beyond the Nijjar case, authorities seized approximately 1,000 kilograms of cocaine and a dozen firearms as part of Operation Hard Ball. The investigation encompassed three transnational criminal organizations with members across the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Portugal, and the UK. Members faced accusations of conducting criminal activities including drug trafficking networks that supplied operations across North America, with some defendants allegedly leveraging relationships with corrupt local authorities in India. Police in Surrey, British Columbia reported 131 extortion complaints during the current year, along with 20 incidents involving shots fired and two arsons.
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