The U.S. Department of Justice announced the arrest of 24 defendants across the United States, Canada, and Europe as part of a coordinated international law enforcement operation targeting three organized crime groups based in India.
Eleven of the 24 defendants were taken into custody in California, the Justice Department said. The remaining arrests were carried out in other parts of the United States, Canada, and Europe.
According to the Justice Department, the charges against the three India-based criminal organizations include involvement in a 2023 assassination carried out in Canada. The victim was a prominent Indian political and religious figure, the department said.
The Justice Department described all three groups as transnational organized crime gangs operating out of India. The operation brought charges against members of each group simultaneously as part of the coordinated effort.
In total, the Justice Department confirmed, 24 individuals now face charges stemming from the operation, with the California arrests representing the largest single-jurisdiction share of the defendants.