FBI Arrests Indian National in Major International Drug Trafficking Crackdown

Harmanveer Singh, an Indian national, has been arrested by the FBI for his alleged involvement in a drug trafficking network linked to the Ravinder Dhanda gang. This arrest is part of 'Operation Hard Ball', a global effort targeting multiple organized crime syndicates, resulting in significant charges and arrests.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has announced the arrest of Harmanveer Singh, an Indian national implicated in the intricate web of drug trafficking operations connected to the Canada-based Ravinder Dhanda gang. Singh's apprehension is a key element of 'Operation Hard Ball', a collaborative international crackdown targeting syndicates led by Lawrence Bishnoi, Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, and Ravinder Dhanda.

Singh was apprehended on Tuesday in Stockton, California, by officers of the California Highway Patrol, as stated by the FBI on Wednesday. The federal agency highlighted that Singh was sought after for his involvement in a transnational network accused of engaging in conspiracies to distribute and possess controlled substances, with intentions of exportation and distribution.

The FBI revealed further details indicating that the 'Ravinder Dhanda Organised Crime Group', headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, allegedly facilitated the smuggling of significant quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine for various drug trafficking organizations operating across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. On June 23, 2026, a federal arrest warrant was issued in Los Angeles against Singh, on charges involving conspiracy to distribute and export controlled substances.

This development is part of a sweeping joint operation in which law enforcement officials from the United States, Canada, and Europe detained 24 individuals tied to three India-based transnational crime syndicates this month. Among them, 11 were arrested in California. Under 'Operation Hard Ball', the US Department of Justice has indicted 37 people.

Officials consider Singh’s arrest a pivotal move in 'Operation Hard Ball', as it signifies ongoing coordinated enforcement actions across various nations against alleged affiliates and members of the three organized crime networks. (ANI)