Major Crackdown on Gangs in California

In a significant federal operation, authorities targeted a vast network of gangs in California that were reportedly using the state as a cash flow source, raking in millions through various criminal activities including extortion, drug trafficking, and contract killings.

On Tuesday, local and federal law enforcement arrested 11 alleged gang members and associates linked to an India-based transnational organization during an initiative called “Operation Hardball.”

Bill Esseri, the lead federal prosecutor in Los Angeles, described the gang as one of the most formidable he’s ever encountered. The criminal group is believed to be generating substantial illegal profits from drugs, extortion, arms sales, and theft.

“These organizations engage in severe violence—targeted killings, extortion, even kidnappings. They inundate communities with massive quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine,” Esseri explained.

Court filings indicated that the gang, despite its leaders being incarcerated thousands of miles away, maintains tight control over operations in California.

Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement authorities confiscated more than 2,200 pounds of cocaine and heroin, $40,000 in cash, and numerous firearms.

The Bishnoi gang, led by Lawrence Bishnoi—who remains imprisoned in India—reportedly used WhatsApp to coordinate the distribution of drugs across California and to extort individuals in places like Los Angeles and Thousand Oaks.

Court documents allege, “Defendant Bishnoi personally directed a range of criminal activities including murders, extortion, drug trafficking, and more, all from his prison cell using contraband mobile devices.”

Authorities suspect that between March 2024 and July 2025, the gang pilfered around 1,150 pounds of cocaine from rival traffickers in the greater Los Angeles area.

Bishnoi is accused of employing his subordinates in California for various illicit operations, according to additional statements from law enforcement.

One specific case involves Rajan Bhatti, a lieutenant in the gang, who allegedly attempted to extort $200,000 from an undercover agent portraying a wealthy foreigner. Reportedly, he threatened, “We are going to harm you, your children, your family. I won’t hesitate to kill someone; it’s just part of my job.”

Another faction in this operation, the Bhagwanpuria gang—led by imprisoned ringleader Jag Bhagwanpuria—is accused of using their connections to brutally blackmail victims. One of their members, Galal Singh, reportedly conspired with corrupt police in Punjab to falsely accuse victims and extort them.

Prosecutors also claim that Gurdev Singh, another member, tried to intimidate his family while in custody, threatening to “put bullets into our children” through smuggled communication devices.

Aside from the arrested gang members, federal authorities have charged Ravinder Singh Dhanda, a 57-year-old from British Columbia, with smuggling large quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine from the U.S. into Canada.

Dhanda’s organization is said to have utilized semi-trucks to transport drugs across the U.S.-Canada border. Another suspect linked to him, Justin Guzman, was arrested at his workplace. He’s implicated in smuggling over 150 pounds of cocaine for the gang.

This extensive operation resulted in arrests across multiple cities in California, including Los Angeles and Fresno, with numerous search warrants executed statewide.

Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell remarked, “These individuals treated L.A. as a central hub for illegal activities including drugs and murders.”

Authorities conducted around 50 raids across the U.S., Canada, and Europe, capturing additional suspects in places like Indiana and Georgia, as well as abroad in Canada and Spain.

Law enforcement is actively searching for seven fugitives in the U.S., along with two more in India and one in Europe.