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West Vancouver man arrested in France, faces U.S. extradition
Canadian resident is among 37 defendants charged in a multinational investigation into organized crime.
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Ankita Baidya - Sat, 11, Jul 2026
- 04:16 EDT
- 27
Garinder Singh Deo is awaiting extradition to the United States in connection with the FBI-led Operation Hard Ball investigation. / iStock
Garinder Singh Deo, 40, of West Vancouver, was arrested in France on July 7 and is awaiting extradition to the United States to face federal charges linked to a multinational investigation into transnational organized crime networks, according to the RCMP Federal Policing Pacific Region and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California.
According to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Deo, who also uses the aliases "Doctor," "Rocket" and "Ritz Carlton," is accused of purchasing bulk quantities of cocaine and heroin intended for shipment from Southern California to the eastern United States, allegedly with assistance from members and associates of a criminal enterprise identified in the indictment as the Bhagwanpuria group.
Also read: Indian national gets 23 months in U.S. gun possession case
The release alleges that law enforcement intercepted an attempted shipment in June 2025 containing approximately 99.2 kilograms of cocaine and one kilogram of heroin. Deo has been charged with one count of racketeering conspiracy, one count of attempted Hobbs Act extortion, two counts of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, one count of distribution of cocaine, one count of conspiracy to deal firearms without a license, and one count of possession of a machine gun, according to the release.
The U.S. Department of Justice said Deo has not been charged as a member or associate of the Bhagwanpuria group itself. Its announcement on "Operation Hard Ball" identified 37 defendants charged in three unsealed indictments, with arrests carried out in the United States, Canada, Spain and France as part of a coordinated, multi-year investigation involving the FBI, the Los Angeles Police Department, the RCMP and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
The RCMP Federal Policing Pacific Region announced today that Garinder Singh Deo (40) of West Vancouver, has been arrested in France. He remains in custody there while awaiting extradition to the United States to face indictments stemming from the FBI's Operation Hard Ball… pic.twitter.com/OnYya9JZNH
— Gurpreet S. Sahota (@GurpreetSSahota) July 10, 2026
Separately, British Columbia's director of civil forfeiture has filed a claim in the Supreme Court of British Columbia seeking to seize three properties linked to Deo and his family in West Vancouver and Surrey, alleging they were acquired through the proceeds of unlawful activity. The claim also names Deo's wife, Aleksandra Ponomareva, his sister, Harinder Deo, and her spouse, Lakhbir Gill, as defendants.
The RCMP said the joint investigation with the FBI spanned approximately two years and also resulted in arrests in British Columbia and the execution of search warrants across Metro Vancouver.
According to the U.S. Justice Department, Operation Hard Ball targeted alleged Indian organized crime syndicates involved in racketeering, extortion and narcotics trafficking, with investigators alleging the criminal activity affected communities in multiple countries.
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