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3 B.C. men facing drug trafficking charges from U.S. authorities appear in court

Click to play video: '‘Operation Hard Ball’ suspects in court'
‘Operation Hard Ball’ suspects in court
Three B.C. men arrested earlier this week as part of an operation targeting alleged organized crime groups were back in court today. Their cases are part of a multi-national operation announced by the FBI earlier this week. As Catherine Urquhart reports, civil forfeiture is also underway for several properties. – Jul 9, 2026

Three men facing drug trafficking charges laid by U.S. authorities are expected to appear in B.C. Supreme Court on Thursday for a bail hearing.

Jaskarn Baghri of Surrey, Ravinder Dhanda of White Rock and Gurtej Singh Smagh of Creston are facing extradition proceedings to the U.S.

They were arrested on Tuesday by RCMP officers working in co-operation with American law enforcement on an investigation into Indian crime syndicates called Operation Hard Ball.

The FBI alleges that the men were involved in a drug smuggling operation moving large amounts of cocaine and methamphetamine weekly across the Canada-U.S. border.

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The three men appeared in court on Tuesday afternoon, one via video link and two in person.

Dhanda has retained the high-profile criminal lawyer, Ian Donaldson, while Smagh has retained Rishi Gill.

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Baghri did not yet have a lawyer.

There is a publication ban on the extradition hearing.

Click to play video: 'Dozens arrested, 3 in Canada amid RCMP, FBI crime crackdown'
Dozens arrested, 3 in Canada amid RCMP, FBI crime crackdown

In total, 37 people across North America and Europe have been indicted as part of Operation Hard Ball and 27 have been arrested.

More to come.

 

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