A Canadian man accused of working with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang has been arrested in France as part of a international crackdown on organised crime networks allegedly involved in drug trafficking, extortion and the 2023 assassination of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.According to CTV News, 40-year-old Garinder Singh Deo, from West Vancouver, was arrested in France on July 7 and is awaiting extradition to the United States. The arrest came days after US authorities announced the results of Operation Hard Ball, a joint investigation involving law enforcement agencies from the US, Canada and Europe targeting transnational organised crime groups.The US Department of Justice earlier said the operation led to the arrest of 24 people allegedly connected to three criminal syndicates, including the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. In total, 37 defendants have been charged across three indictments for offences including drug trafficking, extortion, kidnapping, targeted killings and money laundering.US prosecutors allege Deo purchased cocaine and heroin in California that were later smuggled into Canada and the eastern United States on behalf of a criminal organisation. The RCMP confirmed that Deo is the fourth Canadian arrested as part of the investigation. An RCMP spokesperson told CTV News they could not confirm whether Deo was the suspect previously believed to be in Europe but said he was taken into custody in France on July 7.The crackdown also resulted in charges against jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his alleged associate Satinderjeet Singh, better known as Goldy Brar. US prosecutors allege the pair directed the June 2023 assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia.
