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News18
4 days ago
- Politics
- News18
How Trump's Fentanyl Crackdown Has Put The Spotlight On Khalistani Groups In The West
Operations by the United States and coordinating Canadian law enforcement agencies have uncovered links between fentanyl trafficking, illegal immigration, and Khalistani groups US President Donald Trump, at present under the spotlight for his firm stance on global trade tariffs, has also made significant efforts to combat the illegal fentanyl trade and unauthorised immigration. Since taking office, his tough policies have prompted numerous operations by the United States and coordinating Canadian law enforcement agencies, uncovering connections between fentanyl trafficking, illegal immigration, and also Khalistani groups. In a notable international development, the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) recently announced the arrest of infamous Indo-Canadian gangster Opinder Singh Sian in Arizona on June 27. Sian, linked to Khalistani elements in Canada, was apprehended following a DEA operation initiated in 2022 based on intelligence from Turkey. The operation revealed Sian's extensive global drug trafficking network, accused of smuggling large quantities of fentanyl precursors and methamphetamine from Canada to the United States and Australia. The affidavit details how Sian managed chemical shipments from China to Vancouver and then to Los Angeles through a trucking business run by a Chinese cartel member, Peter Pend Zhou. His 'Brothers Keeper" gang in British Columbia is connected to the Kinahan Crime Cartel in Dubai and the Hezbollah Group, with involvement in arms smuggling, extortion, homicide, and Khalistani extremist activities. The arrest also uncovered his ties to Irish, Turkish, and ISI-backed Pakistani-Khalistani drug cartels. Notably, Parupkar Singh, 'Parry Duley," Sian's cousin, has been placed on a no-fly list by the Canadian government and is associated with Canadian politician Jagmeet Singh. Sian is also closely related to Khalistani 'Saudagar" Sandhu, a director and former president of Gurdwara Dashmesh Darbar, highlighting the deep connections. Meanwhile, eight individuals of Indian origin, including a man wanted by India's National Investigation Agency (NIA), were arrested in California in relation to a gang-related kidnapping and torture case. Among those detained is Pavittar Singh Batala, a gangster from Punjab linked to the banned terror group Babbar Khalsa International, facing terror-related charges by NIA. The arrests, made on a Friday, followed a coordinated operation involving multiple law enforcement agencies. The individuals arrested include Dilpreet Singh, Arshpreet Singh, Amritpal Singh, Vishal Singh, Gurjat Singh, Manpreet Singh, and Sarbjit Singh. Additionally, in April 2019, Harpreet Singh, alias Happy Passia, a wanted gangster-turned-terrorist, was arrested by the FBI and the US Immigration Department. Passia faces numerous charges in Punjab for violence, extortion, and terror-related incidents, including 16 blasts. The Amritsar native has been named in 33 First Information Reports, and 10 Look Out Circulars have been issued against him. A dossier prepared by Punjab police accuses him of orchestrating 14 grenade attacks, one IED blast, and one rocket-propelled grenade attack in the state. Also, Peel Police in Canada, through 'Project Pelican", successfully dismantled a large narco-terror network, arresting individuals suspected to be Khalistan sympathisers. This operation led to Canada's largest ever drug seizure, with 497 kg of cocaine valued at $47.9 million. Nine people, including seven Indian-origin men settled in Canada, were arrested. Investigations revealed the network used commercial trucking routes from the United States to Canada and maintained ties with Mexican cartels and US-based distributors. Importantly, the funds from these illicit drug operations were found to be financing anti-India activities, including protests and referendums, demonstrating a direct link between organised crime and extremist agendas. Each of these cases has a common link to Khalistani separatism. Most of the accused are of Indian origin and wanted by Indian law enforcement agencies for various cases. Many names are part of the Indian dossier. It is surprising that despite the Indian community being largely respected abroad, the actions of some extremist elements tarnish the reputation of the entire community. Since President Trump came to power, India and the US have been closely cooperating to stop the illegal smuggling of fentanyl into the United States, which includes a crackdown on transnational gangs. Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's June visit to Canada, New Delhi and Ottawa decided to establish a mechanism for close cooperation on security matters to address terrorism and extremism. For the first time, Canadian Khalistanis are experiencing a false sense of victimhood, affecting the mindset of the new generation. Their actions and criminal activities have led to increased anti-immigrant sentiment and anti-South Asian hate in Canada and the US. Sian's close relatives were on the gurdwara management committee, and they successfully undermined Sikh religious bodies. Due to false propaganda, anti-Indian hate has spread. Navdeep Gill from Surrey, British Columbia, told News18, 'Sikhs are proud people. They (Khalistanis) have created a false sense of victimhood and affected the minds of the new generation. Their actions and criminal activities, such as taking law and order into their own hands and car rallies, have led to increased anti-immigrant sentiment and anti-South Asian hate in Canada and the US." Gill also mentioned that 'One of the accused, Sian, arrested by the US law enforcement agency, has relatives on the gurdwara management committee. Extremist groups have successfully destroyed Sikh religious bodies." Another prominent member of the South Asian community, speaking on condition of anonymity, told News18, 'After the arrest of hardened criminals, wanted terrorists, and gangsters tied to Gurpatwant Singh Pannun's so-called SFJ 'Khalistani Referendum' circus by top US law enforcement agencies like the FBI, ICE, and local sheriff departments in California, the truth is now out in the open. These thugs were not freedom fighters. They were fugitives hiding behind the Khalistani mask to push violence, fear, and organised crime." He also said, 'For the first time, there is real anger and resentment brewing among the mainstream Sikh diaspora. People are finally calling out these elements for what they are—goons trying to take over our sacred gurdwaras by intimidating honest Sikhs and poisoning our community with fear and division." About the Author Siddhant Mishra Siddhant Mishra is a Senior Special Correspondent at CNN-News18, covering foreign affairs and international relations. With over 12 years of experience in journalism, he has also reported extensively on crime, ...Read More Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from geopolitics to diplomacy and global trends. Stay informed with the latest world news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : canada donald trump fentanyl immigration Khalistan United states view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: July 18, 2025, 17:13 IST News world Opinion | How Trump's Fentanyl Crackdown Has Put The Spotlight On Khalistani Groups In The West Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. 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Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Fentanyl terror: There's a Khalistan-China connection
While it's a known fact that Khalistan is a geopolitical project of Pakistan which has been arming and harbouring Khalistani terrorists for decades in India and other countries such as Canada, Australia, the UK and the US, a China link is also emerging in this plot to break India. That link is Fentanyl, an opioid drug which has become a major cause of death in the US. Right after his swearing-in in February, US President Donald Trump had declared eight Latin American drug cartels as terrorist organisations, which included the Sinaloa cartel . The terror designation enables possible US military action in the region against these cartels. Trump also imposed tariffs on China and Canada for smuggling of fentanyl into the US. In recent years, the nexus between Khalistanis and Latin-American drug cartels, especially in Canada and the US, has strengthened, but now China is also getting into the picture. A recent arrest by the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) in Arizona has revealed a Chinese-Khalistani connection. The China link of Opinder Singh Sian aka Thanos The DEA has busted an ISI-China-Canada drug cartel and arrested a notorious Indo-Canadian gangster, Opinder Singh Sian aka Thanos, running a global fentanyl and methamphetamine trafficking ring from British Columbia in Canada, TOI has reported. According to court documents reviewed by TOI, Sian was arrested in Arizona on June 27 after his role in smuggling methamphetamine to Australia and chemicals for fentanyl into the US via Canada was established. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Most Beautiful Female Athletes Right Now Undo The investigation, which kicked off in 2022, and a recently unsealed affidavit in a US court, have revealed that Sian had operational ties with chemical suppliers linked to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) besides the Sinaloa cartel in Mexico. The DEA had mounted an undercover operation to trap Sian after his dubious ties came to fore in 2021-2022 in the aftermath of a preliminary inquiry conducted regarding a tip from a Turkish intelligence agency. Singh was at the time a known senior member of the notorious ISI-backed 'Brothers Keepers' gang which mostly has foot soldiers from Punjab in India, many of whom are Canadian citizens. The gang, which has lent its support to the cause of Khalistan on many occasions, was also seen active in commemoration rallies in support of Air India bombing mastermind Talwinder Singh Parmar of Babbar Khalsa International and others, sources told TOI. According to Canadian police, the group deals in bulk trafficking of cocaine, MDMA, heroin, fentanyl and methamphetamine besides arms trafficking, murder, extortion and armed robbery. Sian had arranged for a meeting between a confidential US undercover source, known as "Queen", and a Chinese cartel man named Peter Peng Zhou in Vancouver in 2023. Zhou, ran a trucking company with an Indo-Canadian associate, revealed that he could "receive fentanyl precursor chemicals from China into Vancouver and "send 100 kilos of chemicals per month to Los Angeles" using his trucking company. Sian and Queen, the DEA said, held multiple meetings and were in contact through chat application Threema to coordinate multiple deliveries. Specifically, Sian made four drops of methamphetamine (over 500 pounds) in southern California before the DEA moved for his arrest. Live Events Agencies Opinder Singh Sian aka Thanos The emerging China-Khalistan links While there is no substantial known cooperation between China and Khalistani terrorists, many reports have revealed that China has been trying to promote Khalistan separatism in recent years. During the India-China military standoff in Ladakh in 2020, the Sikhs For Justice, a US-based separatist Sikh body designated as a terror group by India, approached Beijing to support its secessionist campaign. SFJ's Gurpatwant Singh Pannun shot off a letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping , justifying China's position against India and extending support of pro-Khalistani Sikhs. "We consider China's counter military action against India as legitimate and justified to protect its territorial integrity under international laws," Pannun wrote to Xi. He also urged the Chinese president to take up before the UN Security Council the issue of Sikh right to "self determination and secession" of Punjab from India through referendum. In the letter, Pannun also said that a delegation of SFJ's referendum campaigners would visit Beijing. A few months before, in 2019, an intelligence report prepared by security agencies, said that Pannun had also written a letter to Yao Jing, then ambassador of China to Pakistan, informing him about alleged role of an Indian intelligence agency in attack on Chinese consulate in Karachi, Pakistan, in 2018, TOI had reported. Last year, Pannu said in a video, addressing Chinese President Xi, that 'now is the time to order the Chinese army to take Arunachal Pradesh back' while claiming that 'Arunachal Pradesh is the territory of China'. Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, had revealed last year that a network in China targeted the Sikh community worldwide with fictitious posts and manipulated images about the 'Khalistan independence movement'. 'These groups appeared to have created a fictitious activist movement called 'Operation K', which called for pro-Sikh protests," Meta said in its report. India had snubbed China last year for its comments on the alleged plot to assassinate Pannun for which the US agencies had arrested one Nikhil Gupta who claimed he was paid by an Indian official to kill Pannun. Responding to China's call for observance of 'international law' in the Pannun case, the Ministry Of External Affairs said, 'India and the US, as two countries adhering to the rule of law, are capable of dealing with any issues between them. There is no role for speculative comments and gratuitous advice by unrelated third parties.' (With TOI inputs)
India Today
5 days ago
- India Today
Pro-Khalistani gangster nabbed in global drug bust; ISI, China links emerge
The US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has uncovered an international drug cartel with alleged ties linking Pakistan's ISI, China, and Canada, and arrested an Indo-Canadian gangster, Opinder Singh Sian, also known as Thanos. Sian, who was arrested in June, was allegedly operating a global fentanyl and methamphetamine trafficking network from Canada's British of the case have been outlined in a 29-page affidavit submitted by the DEA. The agency's investigation spanned Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Australia, Hong Kong, Dubai, and law enforcement had been investigating Sian since 2021-22. Then he was a known senior member of the ISI-backed 'Brothers Keepers' gang, which largely comprises foot soldiers from Punjab, many of whom hold Canadian gang has openly supported the Khalistani movement and, according to sources, has been visibly active in rallies commemorating terrorists such as Talwinder Singh Parmar, the mastermind behind the Air India surviving at least two assassination attempts, Sian made his ascent into Canada's criminal underworld, one in 2008 that left him injured but killed his aide Gurpreet Sidh, and another in May 2011, which he also DOES THE NEW WARRANT REVEAL?A newly released arrest warrant naming Sian, which has not yet been tested in court, outlines the alleged international connections of the British Columbia-based drug warrant was issued by a California district court for Sian's arrest and alleges that he had links to organised crime groups in Canada, China, Turkey, Mexico, and Ireland, including the Kinahan cartel, which has reported connections to the terrorist group Hezbollah, according to a report in the Canadian tabloid, Toronto a Canadian citizen residing in Canada's Surrey, was taken into custody last month in US' allege he was attempting to ship methamphetamine from the US to Australia through the Port of Long Beach, near Los affidavit, sworn by DEA agent Albert Polito, points to these Canadian traffickers who are at the centre of the nation's problems with fentanyl and other synthetic drugs, which are trafficked into the US and warrant includes several serious allegations about how drugs were being moved and deals to the affidavit, methamphetamine sourced from Montreal contacts was traded in Los Angeles, aiming for further shipments to were requests for bulk cocaine purchases in Los Angeles to be distributed in Vancouver. The affidavit also states promises of large shipments of fentanyl precursor chemicals from China into the Port of Vancouver, which would then be sent to Los Angeles using a Canadian trucking much like the US, had for years borne the brunt of illegal fentanyl and other synthetic drugs being imported from China. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly raised the issue with Beijing, calling on China to crack down on the production and export of these substances and their TO HONKONG, TURKEY: DRUG CARTEL EXPOSEDToronto is also named as a key node in the operation which Sian was a part individual allegedly managed hundreds of pounds of meth shipments through multiple ports while reporting to handlers in Hong Kong and collaborating with members of Mexico's Sinaloa entire investigation reportedly began when the DEA's field office in Turkey's capital, Ankara, received a tip about the opportunity to insert a confidential source into an international drug-trafficking lead eventually brought the agency to Sian and a sprawling operation that, according to the DEA, extended across at least four continents and eight is alleged to be a central figure in this network. In August 2023, he took the DEA's confidential source, referred to as Queen, out to lunch with his family. Queen, by then, had gained Sina's they met at a cafe with Peter Peng Zhou, who allegedly told Queen that he could provide the precursor chemicals used to produce fentanyl."Zhou said that he would be getting the precursors from China in Vancouver and sending them to Los Angeles, via his trucking company," the affidavit states, further claiming that Zhou promised a shipment of 100 kilograms per media portal, Postmedia, reported that other suspects from British Columbia named in the case have not yet been formally and his associates allegedly discussed several options for providing the precursor chemicals, either by moving them through Canada or shipping them directly to the Port of Long Beach in the affidavit includes references to attempts to ship fentanyl chemicals and methods aimed at evading the charges and allegations laid out in the affidavit are proven in court, they support growing concerns raised by US officials about the role of Canadian traffickers in the fentanyl trade.- Ends advertisement
Time of India
5 days ago
- Time of India
Endgame: How Indo-Canadian 'Thanos' fell in DEA's global cartel crackdown
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has arrested Indo-Canadian gangster Opinder Singh Sian , alias Thanos, for operating a global methamphetamine and fentanyl trafficking network, reported TOI, citing court records. Sian was taken into custody in Arizona on June 27 following an investigation that connected him to drug shipments to Australia and chemical smuggling for fentanyl production in the US through Canada. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category Management Data Science Artificial Intelligence MBA Digital Marketing Design Thinking Product Management Data Science others Data Analytics Healthcare Leadership Project Management Finance CXO Public Policy Others Operations Management Cybersecurity Skills you'll gain: Duration: 11 Months IIM Kozhikode CERT-IIMK General Management Programme India Starts on undefined Get Details DEA probe uncovers global network The DEA began tracking Sian in 2022, launching an undercover operation after receiving intelligence from a Turkish agency. A recently unsealed affidavit submitted in a US court stated that Sian had close ties to chemical suppliers associated with the Chinese Communist Party and Mexico's Sinaloa cartel. The investigation found that Sian was previously a senior member of the Brothers Keepers gang, a British Columbia-based criminal outfit with several members of Punjabi origin. Canadian authorities have linked the gang to large-scale narcotics trafficking, weapons smuggling, murder, extortion, and robbery. The gang has also publicly supported the Khalistan movement and participated in events honouring figures such as Talwinder Singh Parmar. Ties with China, Mexico, and Hezbollah-linked network In 2023, Sian reportedly introduced a DEA undercover source, codenamed "Queen", to Chinese national Peter Peng Zhou in Vancouver. Zhou, who ran a trucking company with an Indo-Canadian partner, allegedly claimed he could import fentanyl precursors from China and deliver up to 100 kg per month to Los Angeles, as per the TOI report. Live Events Sian and the undercover agent remained in contact through the encrypted app Threema and coordinated multiple deliveries. According to the DEA, Sian conducted four methamphetamine drops — totalling over 500 pounds — in Southern California before he was arrested. The DEA further revealed that Sian's network extended to operatives in Turkey and Dubai and had links to the Kinahan crime group, which is under international scrutiny for its ties to Hezbollah. Sian's criminal record includes surviving an attack in 2008 that killed his associate Gurpreet Sidhu and another attempt on his life in 2011. These incidents marked his rapid rise in Canada's criminal ecosystem.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Time of India
Indo-Canadian hood linked to Hezbollah cartel arrested
Sian was arrested in Arizona on June 27. Court documents show that he also had operational ties with chemical suppliers linked to the Chinese Communist Party NEW DELHI: The US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has busted an ISI-China-Canada linked international drug cartel and arrested a notorious Indo-Canadian gangster, Opinder Singh Sian aka Thanos, running a global fentanyl and methamphetamine trafficking ring from British Columbia. According to court documents reviewed by TOI, Sian was arrested in Arizona on June 27 after his role in smuggling methamphetamine to Australia and chemicals for fentanyl into the US via Canada was established. The investigation, which kicked off in 2022, and a recently unsealed affidavit in a US court, has revealed that Sian, had operational ties with chemical suppliers linked to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) besides the Sinaloa cartel in Mexico. The DEA had mounted an undercover operation to trap Sian after his dubious ties came to fore in 2021-2022 in the aftermath of a preliminary inquiry conducted regarding a tip from a Turkish intelligence agency. Singh was at the time a known senior member of the notorious ISI-backed 'Brothers Keepers' gang which mostly has foot soldiers from Punjab in India, many of whom are Canadian citizens. The gang, which has lent its support to the cause of so-called Khalistan on many occasions, was also seen active in commemorations rallies in support of Air India bombing mastermind Talwinder Singh Parmar and others, sources said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Túl sok hasi zsír? Tedd ezt lefekvés előtt (figyelj!) Tudj meg többet Undo According to Canadian police, the group deals in bulk trafficking of cocaine, MDMA, heroin, fentanyl and methamphetamine besides arms trafficking, murder, extortion and armed robbery. In his early days, Sian was wounded in a shooting in Aug 2008 that left his friend Gurpreet Sidhu dead and survived another bid on his life in May 2011, marking his rapid rise in Canada's underworld. The now-released court documents state that Sian had arranged for a meeting between a confidential US undercover source, known as "Queen", and a Chinese cartel man named Peter Peng Zhou in Vancouver in 2023. Zhou, ran a trucking company with an Indo-Canadian associate, revealed that he could "receive fentanyl precursor chemicals from China into Vancouver and "send 100 kilos of chemicals per month to Los Angeles" using his trucking company. Sian and Queen, the DEA said, held multiple meetings and were in contact through chat application Threema to coordinate multiple deliveries. Specifically, Sian made four drops of methamphetamine (over 500 pounds) in southern California before the DEA moved for his arrest. The DEA agents were subsequently able to identify multiple characters involved in the network, which ranged from Turkey to Dubai. Sian, the DEA submitted, was also found linked to the notorious Kinahan crime family which is linked to Hezbollah .
