RCMP ‘aware’ of allegation linking CBSA officer to Dhanda drug trafficking ring

RCMP ‘aware’ of allegation linking CBSA officer to Dhanda drug trafficking ring This week, U.S. officials released an indictment that lays out in detail the drug distribution network of the Indian drug trafficking group allegedly led by Ravinder Singh Dhanda out of B.C. OTTAWA – The RCMP said it’s “aware” of an allegation that a Canada Border Services Agency employee passed along information to a member of the Dhanda drug trafficking ring for the purposes of smuggling drugs across the border into Canada but would not confirm an investigation. “Generally, only in the event that an investigation results in the laying of criminal charges would the RCMP confirm its investigation, the nature of any charges laid, and the identity of the individual(s) involved,” said Jessica Kingsbury, deputy director of media relations for the RCMP, in an email statement. “This is done to protect the integrity of an investigation, any evidence obtained, and the privacy of those involved.” Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Justice released an indictment that lays out in detail the cocaine and methamphetamine distribution network of the Indian drug trafficking group allegedly led by Ravinder Singh Dhanda out of British Columbia. The indictment stems from an international investigation headed by the FBI’s Los Angeles office called “Operation Hard Ball” that resulted in charges against 37 people linked to Indian organized crime groups. As well as the Dhanda ring, police rounded up members of the Bishnoi transnational criminal network led by Lawrence Bishnoi and another gang, led by Jaggu Bhagwanpuri. Both men are in prison in India. The Dhanda drug trafficking network “would transport, smuggle, and distribute hundreds of kilograms of cocaine and methamphetamine each week” from the U.S. into Canada. This was accomplished by concealing drugs on long-haul semi-trucks and farm trucks used on working farms near the border, police say. One of the three defendants identified in the Dhanda indictment includes Gurtej Singh Smagh, also known as “Simba,” who was based out of Creston, B.C. Smagh would gather information related to the timing and location of border inspections and “other enforcement actions” from a CBSA employee, to assist with smuggling cocaine and methamphetamine across the U.S.-Canada border, according to the indictment. The indictment does not name the CBSA employee. Both the CBSA and the public safety minister’s office declined to comment on any details, citing an ongoing criminal investigation. “Operation Hardball is a joint operation by both the FBI and RCMP and both agencies will work together to ensure that any related investigations are pursued thoroughly and that those responsible are held accountable,” said Simon Lafortune, spokesperson for Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree. The U.S. indictments are part of an international crackdown on Indian organized crime organizations that span across Canada, the U.S. and Europe. This is not the first time a CBSA officer has been accused of helping drug traffickers. In March, CBSA officer Daniel Notarianni was charged for allegedly allowing a truck containing millions of dollars worth of opium, cannabis products and tobacco through at the Queenston-Lewiston port of entry near Niagara Falls, Ont. Christian Leuprecht, professor at the Royal Military College of Canada and Queen’s University, said he has growing concern for the integrity of Canada’s public institutions, citing other examples including Project South, a corruption investigation in Toronto, which linked several of the city’s police officers to organized crime. “It’s one thing to find corruption where somebody’s getting paid off, it’s something very different where you effectively have somebody who is a civil servant and has committed themselves to working for the integrity of the state, who is then compromised,” said Leuprecht in an interview. “It also suggests that organized criminal organizations still work on the same old pattern, where you need people on the inside who are going to help you sort of grease the wheels, to make sure the operation runs fairly smoothly,” he added. The CBSA published its first annual report on misconduct and wrongdoing last December for the 2024-2025 fiscal year. According to the report, of the 259 “founded cases” 15 were related to “criminality and/or criminal association, private, off-duty conduct and outside activities.” Those cases included Conflict of interest with a vendor, consuming or being in possession of an illegal substance while off duty, theft, driving a CBSA vehicle while intoxicated and associating with a known drug trafficker. The CBSA employs more than 17,000 workers, with 8,500 of them frontline employees. National Post Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our newsletters here. Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. 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