The B.C. government is attempting to seize two multimillion-dollar homes belonging to a White Rock man recently arrested in a significant U.S. federal investigation into Indian organized crime groups.
The investigation, called “Operation Hard Ball,” has led to more than two dozen arrests of individuals connected to three Indian-based transnational organized crime groups: Lawrence Bishnoi, Ravinder Dhanda and Jaggu Bhagwanpuria. Law enforcement is looking for 10 fugitives, seven in the U.S., two in India, and one in Europe.
The RCMP confirmed July 8 that Ravinder Dhanda, 57, of White Rock, Jaskarn Baghri, 50, of Surrey, and Gurtej Smagh, 43, of Creston, were taken into custody without incident.
The three men appeared in B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver on Wednesday (July 15) for an extradition hearing related to the charges they face in the United States.
The U.S. indictment alleges Dhanda operated the cocaine and methamphetamine distribution network and, alongside Surrey’s Baghri a.k.a. Baba, he would “oversee and manage the storage, transportation of these controlled substances” across the U.S.-Canada border. The indictment alleges over 948 pounds of cocaine was shipped from July 2023 to November 2024 over international borders. None of these allegations have been proven in court.
The notice of claim was filed in B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver against Dhanda and his spouse on July 10, two days after the claim against another B.C. man facing charges in connection with “Operation Hard Ball” was filed. The B.C. government is seeking to seize three homes, worth over $11 million, connected to Garinder Singh Deo and his family – two in Surrey and one in West Vancouver – as they were allegedly obtained through Deo’s “unlawful activity.”
The director claims that Dhanda’s two homes are the “proceeds and instruments” of his illegal activities and are likely to be used in the future for similar activities, if the homes and the proceeds are not seized. That some or all of the money used to buy and maintain the homes was from Dhanda’s “unlawful activity” and/or tax evasion.
The home in White Rock on Cliff Avenue is assessed at $3.68 million, and the one in South Surrey on 36A Avenue at $2.68 million.
The illegal activity that the director is referring to includes possessing controlled substances for the purpose of trafficking at the benefit of, at the direction of, or in association with a criminal association; possessing the proceeds of crime; laundering the proceeds of unlawful activity; conspiring with another person to commit a criminal offence; participating in activities of a criminal organization, providing or collecting property for terrorist activities, failure to declare taxable income, providing property, money or other services for terrorist purposed or benefiting anyone one facilitating or carrying out a criminal activity or for the benefit of a terrorist group.
The director is seeking to seize the two homes and any proceeds from them.
He states that Dhanda’s spouse either “knew or ought to have known” that the homes were used for and would likely be used in the future for “unlawful activity.”
The defendants have 21 days to file a response to the claim after they were served. It notes that an application for judgment against the property “may be made” if they fail to respond within the allotted timeframe.
READ MORE: B.C. gangster arrested in France, B.C. looking to seize 3 of his properties worth $11m
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READ MORE: ‘A culture of fear’: How Bishnoi gang violence has hit Surrey and beyond
READ MORE: U.S. court documents link Bishnoi gang to the death of B.C. Sikh temple president
READ MORE: Surrey Sikh gurdwara calls for continued probe into Indian foreign interference
READ MORE: White Rock man arrested in major U.S. federal investigation into Indian organized crime
About the Author: Anna Burns
I cover breaking news, health care, court, Vancouver Rise FC, Vancouver Goldeneyes and social issues-related topics for the Surrey Now-Leader. anna.burns@surreynowleader.com Follow Anna on Twitter.