The United States plans to seek the extradition of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi from India to face sweeping federal racketeering charges, with investigators saying the move is aimed at preventing him from continuing to run a global criminal network from behind bars.
The announcement came after US authorities unsealed an indictment charging Bishnoi, along with alleged lieutenant Satinderjeet Singh, also known as Goldy Brar, with directing a transnational criminal enterprise accused of murder, extortion, kidnappings and large-scale drug trafficking across North America and beyond.
Speaking after the indictments were announced, RCMP Deputy Commissioner Lisa Moreland said US authorities intend to pursue Bishnoi's extradition from India.
"So what I think is the charges that were brought forward today, obviously under the RICO laws in the United States, it brings through that, as stated today, that they will bring him forward for extradition, to get him moved forward and to face charges in the United States," Moreland told CBC News.
The comments came in response to questions about allegations that Bishnoi has continued directing criminal operations despite being lodged in an Indian prison.
According to the US indictment, Bishnoi allegedly used contraband mobile phones and voice-over-internet communication devices smuggled into jail to direct political assassinations, murders, extortion, kidnappings, drug trafficking and human smuggling carried out by members of the Lawrence Bishnoi Organised Crime Group across several countries.
Asked whether transferring Bishnoi to a US prison would significantly weaken the organisation, Moreland said removing the gang's leadership would be a major setback.
"I think when you take this in totality... being able to take out the leadership, not only the top person, but the next layer down is significant in order to disrupt how they operate," she said.
She added that removing both Bishnoi and his senior leadership would have "a direct impact on public safety here in Canada and abroad."
During the Los Angeles press conference announcing Operation Hard Ball, First Assistant US Attorney Bilal A. Essayli also expressed confidence that another jailed gang leader would soon face American justice.
Referring to Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, who faces separate racketeering and drug trafficking charges, Essayli said: "He'll be coming to our jails here soon, hopefully in the next few weeks."
Moreland also confirmed that Indian authorities cooperated with investigators during the multinational probe.
"What I can say to you is in this investigation, as you noted from our US partners, that the Indian government was cooperating in this investigation. We work shoulder and shoulder with the FBI and other agencies to address this," she said. "Through the course of this investigation, it would highlight that that's where we're striving for."
US authorities have charged 37 defendants across three separate indictments targeting organised crime groups. Twenty-four suspects have been arrested in the United States, Canada and Europe, while several others remain fugitives. The indictments accuse the organisations of carrying out murders, kidnappings, extortion, drug trafficking and firearms offences while operating across multiple continents.
--IANS