FBI Arrests 24 in California Sweep Targeting India-Based Crime Syndicates, With One Sacramento Suspect and Major Drug Seizures

LOS ANGELES, CA — Federal agents carried out a wide-ranging sweep Tuesday that led to arrests across California, including Sacramento, in a coordinated effort targeting organized crime tied to India. Prosecutors in Los Angeles said the operation, called Operation Hard Ball, unsealed charges against dozens of defendants connected to three India-based syndicates.

Authorities said 37 defendants were charged and 24 people were arrested, with 11 arrests in California. The case also included arrests in Canada and Spain, and agents seized about 1,000 kilograms of cocaine, a dozen firearms and $40,000 in cash.

Prosecutors outline network

Federal prosecutors said one of the central figures was Lawrence Bishnoi, a jailed gang leader whose network U.S. authorities now say is linked to the 2023 killing of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada. Prosecutors said this is the first time U.S. authorities have made that allegation publicly.

They also named Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, described as a former associate and now rival of Bishnoi. According to the indictment, both men allegedly directed murder, extortion and drug trafficking from prison by using contraband phones and encrypted messaging apps.

California communities react

The case drew sharp attention in Sacramento and the Central Valley, where many California Sikhs have already reported threats, extortion and fear tied to transnational crime. Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains said she was grateful for the FBI action, while also criticizing Gov. Gavin Newsom for vetoing a bill that would have trained law enforcement to recognize transnational repression.

Local residents and advocates said the arrests confirmed what many families have been dealing with for years: threats, shootings and pressure to pay up. A Sacramento State student who had been threatened after knowing Nijjar said the indictment helped him understand the larger pattern.

Extortion and threats described

Prosecutors said one example involved a Los Angeles family whose relatives were allegedly arrested in Punjab and accused of ordering a contract killing, then faced a demand for $400,000 to make the case go away. Officials said the threat was used as leverage against relatives in California.

A Madera restaurant owner also described repeated gunfire and extortion attempts, including a call demanding half a million dollars after shots were fired into his business. He said he reported the incidents to police and later spoke with FBI agents in Fresno.

Officials say case continues

FBI Assistant Director in Charge Patrick Grandy said the coordinated action struck at the center of three violent transnational organizations that had terrorized families in the United States and abroad. The FBI Los Angeles field office said the investigation is focused on criminal groups that victimize communities.

Advocates for Sikh Americans said the arrests matter, but not as a finish line. They argued the indictments show the scale of the threat and said more policy and law enforcement training is still needed to address intimidation that reaches from India to California.

TNSO covers California, Nevada, and Arizona as the story unfolds.