America’s FBI has tightened its grip on gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his associates. The FBI has accused Lawrence of ordering the assassination of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada in November 2023. The agency has filed a charge sheet in the US Federal Court against 37 accused, including Lawrence, who are accused of being associated with three international crime syndicates being run from India. Agencies of America, Canada and Europe have arrested 24 people in a joint operation named Operation Hardball. These arrests have been made from North America and Europe.
These gangs face serious charges like kidnapping, extortion, racketeering, illegal arms smuggling, drug smuggling and murder. According to officials, 10 accused are still absconding. Of these, 7 are hidden in America, 2 in India and 1 in Europe. Let us know the story of this gang’s international empire, its working methods and the action taken against them. We will also know whether Lawrence Bishnoi and Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, now jailed in India, will be taken to America…
How big is the Lawrence Gang, what is its business?
According to the FBI, the Lawrence Bishnoi gang is not limited to murders only, but is working like a fully organized corporate mafia.
gang’s main business
- Contract Killing: The gang murders politicians, celebrities and opponents for money and supremacy (such as the murders of Sidhu Moosewala and Hardeep Singh Nijjar).
- Drugs smuggling: The gang has maintained a large network of smuggling of cocaine and methamphetamine at the international level. According to the FBI, they looted about 520 kilos of cocaine from rival gangs and supplied the drugs by hiding them in trucks from America to Canada.
- International extortion: Extortion worth millions of dollars is demanded from foreign businessmen of Indian origin by threatening them with death through encrypted apps like WhatsApp.
- Arms smuggling: The main work of this gang is to smuggle weapons and explosives through drones from across the border.
How does the network operate in how many countries?
The network of these criminals is not limited to India. According to the US Justice Department, their empire has spread to America, Canada, Britain, Europe (Spain, France), Mexico, Australia and New Zealand.
method of operation
Even though Lawrence Bishnoi is lodged in an Indian jail, he is running his gang across the world from inside the jail through Voice-over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and smuggled mobile phones. He has divided the responsibilities of different countries among his three special henchmen.
1. Goldie Brar: North America’s Kingpin
Satinderjit Singh alias Goldie Brar is the biggest operator of Bishnoi gang in North America (America and Canada). He used to carry out gang activities abroad on the instructions of Lawrence Bishnoi. He is accused of murder, extortion, drug smuggling and coordination between gang members. There is also an allegation of extortion by threatening businessmen of Indian origin. FBI has also announced a reward of $50,000 on him.
2. Rohit Godara: Gang leader in Europe
Rohit Godara used to handle the network of Lawrence Gang in Europe. He used to maintain contact with gang members in Europe. Along with this, he used to operate extortion, arms smuggling and other criminal activities.
3. Ravinder Singh Dhanda: Mastermind of drugs smuggling
Ravinder Singh Dhanda alias Randy (Rolex and John Wick) is a resident of Vancouver, Canada. According to American officials, he is the leader of a Canada-based international drugs syndicate. He is accused of smuggling hundreds of kilos of cocaine and methamphetamine every week from America to Canada. Drugs were transported across the border through trucks and hidden luggage. In this case, a case has been registered in America against 11 people including him.
On what charges are cases registered, which countries took action?
Apart from India, very serious criminal and terrorist cases have been registered against this gang in America and Canada. Cases of murder, extortion and terrorist activities are registered against them in India. The Government of India has declared Goldie Brar a terrorist under UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act). France-based Interpol has also issued a ‘Red Corner Notice’ against it.
US and Canadian allegations
The FBI and the US Department of Justice (DOJ) have filed three separate federal charge sheets against them in July 2026.
- Nijjar murder in Canada: America’s direct allegation is that Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldie Brar had ordered the murder of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, Canada in June 2023.
- RICO and the Hobbs Act: The gang has been accused of ‘Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations’ (RICO) conspiracy, drugs smuggling, kidnapping, and demanding extortion under the ‘Hobbs Act’.
- Canadian Action: The Canadian government had declared Bishnoi Enterprise a terrorist organization in September 2025 itself.
How many members of Lawrence Gang are in jail and how many are out?
It is believed that in India alone, there are more than 700 shooters in Lawrence’s gang, out of which more than 300 are associated with Punjab. The US-led ‘Operation Hard Ball’ has broken the back of Lawrence’s international gangs. Chargesheet has been filed against a total of 37 criminals.
- Arrests: Under this operation, 24 people have been arrested from North America and Europe (11 in California, 1 in Indiana, 1 in Georgia, 3 in Canada and 1 in Spain). 7 criminals were already in custody.
- absconding: 10 criminals including Goldie Brar are still absconding.
Jaggu Bhagwanpuria’s Network: Jaggu Bhagwanpuria is currently lodged in an Indian jail. Earlier he was close to Lawrence, but later there was enmity between the two. Jaggu Bhagwanpuria has his own separate syndicate, which has more than 1,000 members across the world and has more than 100 henchmen active in America alone. Jaggu has carried out criminal activities in collusion with corrupt police officers in India.
Will Lawrence and Jaggu be taken to the US?
In its charge sheet, the US Justice Department has made Lawrence Bishnoi and Jaggu Bhagwanpuria the main accused, considering them as the leaders of their syndicates. Since the charges of murder, international extortion and large-scale drug smuggling have been formally framed against them in the US Federal Court, the US will definitely start the legal process to extradite these two.
However, both are lodged in high-security prisons in India and facing cases from the Indian National Investigation Agency (NIA). If America demands extradition, then the legal and court process related to it will be completed in India first. After this, the Government of India will decide on the basis of Indian law and the rules of the extradition treaty between India and America whether the accused should be sent to America or not.
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