Three men from British Columbia were arrested this week as part of a multinational investigation targeting three global drug trafficking organizations, U.S. and Canadian officials announced. The investigation, which involves law enforcement agencies from both countries and India, centers on allegations of racketeering, violence, extortion, and large-scale drug smuggling across North America and beyond.
Among those arrested is Ravinder Dhanda, 57, of Surrey, B.C., who U.S. authorities describe as the leader of a sophisticated cocaine and methamphetamine trafficking network operating between the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Known to associates as “John Wick,” Dhanda reportedly managed his operations primarily through seemingly ordinary trucking companies. Court documents state that his organization concealed drugs inside long-haul trucks departing from the Los Angeles area. The U.S. indictment alleges that between mid-2023 and November 2024, his group smuggled approximately 430 kilograms of cocaine.
Officials say Dhanda’s network benefited from corrupt collaboration with a Canada Border Services Agency employee who provided information about inspections of trucks crossing back into Canada, although the agency declined to comment on the alleged internal breach. The Canada Border Services Agency referred questions to the RCMP, which in turn directed inquiries to U.S. authorities, stating that it does not typically comment on ongoing investigations or allegations.
Dhanda was apprehended alongside two other British Columbia residents: Jaskarn Baghri, 50, also of Surrey, and Gurtej Singh Smagh, 43, from Creston, B.C. Extradition proceedings commenced this week in Vancouver’s B.C. Supreme Court. Both Baghri and Smagh were named in unsealed indictments linked to the same transnational criminal networks. Court records indicate Baghri had no prior criminal history and worked as a truck driver, while Smagh has a more extensive record, including a 2008 conviction in the United States for cross-border drug smuggling and earlier drug possession charges in Washington State.
Immigration documents reveal that Smagh, who also goes by Raj Smagh, successfully avoided deportation from Canada after an adjudicator ruled that removal would cause undue hardship to his family members residing in Canada. Smagh had also faced charges related to assault with a weapon and threats in British Columbia in 2016, with some charges later withdrawn.
The international investigation has resulted in the arrest of 24 suspects out of 37 named across three unsealed indictments targeting separate criminal organizations. In India, two high-profile prisoners, Lawrence Bishnoi, 33, and Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, 38, were identified as leaders of two other transnational networks allegedly operating from behind bars.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police did not comment on the status of a prior 2007 wiretap involving Dhanda, which had been conducted over suspicions of drug trafficking but never resulted in charges. Former RCMP regional officer Brad Desmarais noted that such investigations often stall due to insufficient evidence, cooperation of suspects, or concerns for informants’ safety.
U.S. and Canadian authorities continue their cooperation to dismantle these complex criminal enterprises amid heightened scrutiny of cross-border drug trafficking and organized crime. None of the allegations have been tested in court as legal proceedings advance.