B.C. goes after second accused trafficker charged in U.S. probe

Home on Cliff Avenue in White Rock that is owned by Ravinder Dhanda, who is charged in the U.S. for drug smuggling and distribution. Photo by Jason Payne /PNG

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An alleged White Rock drug kingpin charged following a massive U.S. investigation into the Bishnoi gang and other transnational criminal organizations should have to forfeit his properties to the B.C. government, a new lawsuit says.

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The director of civil forfeiture filed a statement of claim against Ravinder Dhanda’s homes — assessed at almost $6.4 million — on Friday, two days after a similar lawsuit was filed against properties of longtime B.C. gangster Garinder Deo.

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Deo, a Wolfpack gang associate, was arrested in France last week and is expected to be extradited to the U.S. to face charges.

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Dhanda remains in jail awaiting a bail hearing after his arrest a week ago on an indictment in California. The next court appearance for him and his alleged associates Gurtej Smagh and Jaskarn Baghri is set for Wednesday at 2 p.m.

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The FBI alleges Dhanda led a transnational criminal network “that provided international smuggling services for bulk quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine to drug trafficking organizations located in the United States, Mexico and elsewhere.”

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Dhanda, who used the aliases “Rolex”, “Daytona” and “John Wick”, “would negotiate transportation rates and logistics with representatives from drug trafficking organizations … for transporting cocaine and methamphetamine from the United States to Canada,” the indictment also alleged.

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The B.C. government said Dhanda’s luxury home on Cliff Avenue in White Rock and a South Surrey house on 36A Avenue that he also owns with his wife Manjit should both be forfeited as proceeds of crime. The properties have liens and mortgages registered against them.

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“At all material times, the defendants did not have sufficient lawful employment, income, and/or legitimate business income to acquire, finance, improve, maintain, or preserve the properties,” the statement of claim said.

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As in the forfeiture case filed against Deo, who was also charged on a separate indictment in the FBI investigation dubbed Operation Hard Ball, the director laid out details of the lengthy probe.

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The FBI “in co-ordination with the RCMP federal policing Pacific region, commenced a criminal investigation involving organized criminal activity, international drug trafficking, extortion, racketeering and violence,” the claim said.

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It noted that the investigation targeted three international gangs — Dhanda’s, the notorious Bishnoi gang, as well as the Bhagwanpuria group.

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The claim said Dhanda and his associates “co-ordinated the storage, transport, smuggling, and distribution of bulk quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine and other controlled substances over international borders … on a weekly basis.”

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“Dhanda materially benefited from his actions, and the actions of others under his control and direction within the drug trafficking organization,” the court filing said. “Dhanda is a member of a criminal organization involved in profit-generating unlawful activity.”