Latest news with #Sian
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
'Evil monster' killed disabled Eastenders star and two sons with axe in 'barbaric' way
Arthur Simpson Kent was given a whole life order after brutally murdering his partner, ex-Eastenders star Sian Blake, and her two young sons - but he tried to cover up his horrifying crimes with cold calculation Christmas was quickly approaching when former Eastenders star Sian Blake, 43, a mother of two, received some truly devastating news and learned that she had a terminal illness. Sian - who starred as soul singer Frankie Pierre in 56 episodes of EastEnders between 1996 and 1997 - had been diagnosed with motor neurone disease back in December 2015, after symptoms first began to appear two years earlier. But this heartbreaking news was only the start of an unbelievable tragedy that was about to unfold for her family. Sian, who had quit acting and working as a sign language interpreter and voiceover artist shortly after receiving her upsetting diagnosis, went to visit her mother in Leyton, East London. The ex-soap star asked her mum if she and her sons could move back in as she considered selling her own home in Erith, South-East London - in part to pay for care, but also because of her "unhealthy" relationship with her "controlling" partner, Arthur Simpson Kent. Sian was planning on leaving Arthur, but after going back to the home she shared with the part-time drug dealer, things took a terrible turn just a day after her visit home. Arthur learned that Sian was going to leave their relationship, taking sons Zachary, eight, and Amon, four, with her. In the kitchen, the family kept a "small axe" and Arthur - who later claimed "something snapped" - grabbed it while Sian was bent down and looking at the floor. He repeatedly hit her head, brutally taking the former actress's life. Due to her illness, she was also suffering from weakened arms and hands, which would have meant she was totally unable to fight him off. Arthur then used the same axe to kill the two little boys, who Sian was "besotted with" and said "completed her", her mum said later. The evidence showed that Arthur "killed each of them in turn with heavy, deliberate, repeated blows with a blunt instrument not since recovered, and then by cutting and stabbing them with a bladed weapon in a way that ensured their deaths." Despite claiming to have "snapped", Arthur was methodical and calculated in an attempt to cover up his brutal crimes. He moved all three of his family's bodies, carefully wrapping them in plastic, before burying them in shallow graves in the garden. He then cleaned his home in an attempt to hide the evidence of his violence, even going so far as "partially painting" the house to cover up blood. But Arthur's cover-up didn't stop there. He took Sian's phone and sent messages to her family pretending to be her, to try and buy himself some time, telling her sister Ava that she was going away for a few weeks. However, the police were contacted and visited the property in Erith, which saw Arthur come up with another lie to try and cover his tracks, claiming that his partner had "gone to Cambridge to see a friend" and was "fed up" with her family. After the police left, Arthur ran. He took Sian's car and ditched the vehicle in East London, before going to a pal's house where he tried to get a flight out of the UK - but wasn't able to. The friend of the former hairdresser refused to put him up, believing he was in some kind of trouble due to drug dealing. He turned to another friend, asking for help, writing in a message, "I can't go into details about what I have done but I only have 2 choices. Go to Ghana one way or die." A pal's card was used to book a coach to Glasgow, where Simpson Kent then travelled to Amsterdam on to Ghana. By December 19, just a few days after murdering his family, he was in Accra - and the picture painted by witnesses of Arthur whilst he was there isn't one of the grieving widower. Over New Year's Eve, he is said to have been "really partying" before taking two women for breakfast the following day. When someone he had met in Ghana recognised him from reports, Arthur tried to bribe them into staying quiet with an iPad and cash. Police finally caught up with him on 9 January, when he claimed to Ghanaian police that his actions had been a kind of 'mercy killing' and one that Sian had agreed to, with Arthur claiming she had "no meaningful life" left. Arthur, once brought back to the UK, pleaded guilty to all three counts of murder, though his legal team still used Sian's illness as a sick defence for his crimes. The murderer said he "felt as if I had just been pushed off a diving board and was falling". He said: "I grabbed hold of a small axe that was kept on a ledge in the kitchen. Sian's head was bent low down and she was bent over looking at the floor. I approached her from the side and hit her at the back of the head as hard as I could and she fell unconscious at the first blow. After that I hit her repeatedly on the head." "My mind was blank and I was focusing on doing and not thinking. It was like I was there but not there." He was handed down a whole life order for his crimes, with the judge rejecting his defences of mental health issues. Sian's mum said he was an "evil monster" and "It's difficult to put into words how much we have suffered as a result of their murder and how we will continue to suffer for the rest of our lives. "We are all living a life sentence, we are all living a nightmare. I would give my life for another moment with my daughter."
News18
3 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
4 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)
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First Post
4 days ago
- First Post
Who is Opinder Singh, Indian-Canadian gangster linked to ISI, Hezbollah, Sinaloa cartel, and China?
Authorities in the US have arrested Indian-Canadian gangster Opinder Singh Sian for running an international drug ring with alleged links to Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). He reportedly smuggled Chinese fentanyl into the US. Here's what we know about him read more The 29-page memo filed by the DEA in federal court said investigations had been carried out in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Australia, Hong Kong, Dubai and Tukey. AP The United States has long complained about Chinese-made fentanyl being smuggled into the country. Now, authorities in the US have busted a fentanyl drug ring with links to Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and arrested an Indian-Canadian gangster. The gangster, identified as Opinder Singh Sian, was arrested in Nevada last month. Sian, 37, has links to a notorious Irish drug gang. But who is Sian? And what happened? Let's take a closer look STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Who is Sian? Sian is a major player in the international fentanyl smuggling ring. Sian, is said to have links to the Brothers Keeper gang. The group is said to traffic cocaine, MDMA, heroin, fentanyl and methamphetamine. It has also been accused of arms trafficking, murder, extortion and armed robbery. This gang, which is backed by the ISI, has many operatives in India. Indian officials told News18 Sian was a crucial go-between for the ISI and criminals in China. These groups make use of Canada's 'permissive legal and political environment' to traffic synthetic opioids, they added. The BK gang is said to be supportive of the pro-Khalistani movement. It also has ties to the Hells Angels and the Wolfpack gang — both of which are well-known around the world. Opinder Singh Sian is said to be a major player in the international fentanyl smuggling ring. Image courtesy: X Sian is based in Canada's Vancouver and is extremely well-known in the city's organised crime circles. He goes by several aliases including Opie, Thanos and Cain. Sian in 2007 was convicted for careless use of a firearm and obstruction of a peace officer. His rise in the Canadian criminal underworld began in 2008. This came after he survived a shooting that left his friend Gurpreet Sidhu dead. However, Sian was left seriously injured in the aftermath of the incident. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Sian survived yet another shooting in 2011. For the next few years he was frequently stopped by the police in the company of other gangsters. Sian is said to have told a confidential informant that he has ties to 'Irish organised crime, specifically the Kinahan family, Italian organised crime and other Canadian organised crime groups.' The Kinahan gang is a notorious Irish outfit that originated in Dublin during the 1990s. However, it is now based in Dubai. The Kinahan gang has ties to Mexico's infamous Sinaloa Cartel as well as Iran and its proxy group Hezbollah. Sian a decade ago tried to get his purported wife into Canada but was denied by authorities, who ruled it a 'sham marriage'. So, what explains Sian's rise in the crime world? Mike Porteous, a retired Vancouver police superintendent, told Vancouver Sun that any gangster 'that has the attributes to actually be successful — intelligence, relationship-building, connections … they can rise'. 'Those kinds of people that build those relationships tend to rise within the hierarchy because they have the skill sets to do the bidding of making money in the drug world.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD What happened? Sian was arrested in Arizona last month by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The agency has conducted a wide-ranging, years-long probe into Sian. The 29-page memo filed by the DEA in federal court said investigations had been done in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Australia, Hong Kong, Dubai and Tukey. The probe into Sian began in 2022 after the DEA conducted a preliminary probe on the basis of a tip-off from Turkish intelligence. Prosecutors have accused Sian of being at the center of a vast conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and meth. Sian was involved in a conspiracy to import 'precursor chemicals from China and export narcotics through the port of Los Angeles to Australia', the DEA affidavit claimed. Sian is also alleged to have been purchasing the chemicals from China and selling them directly to the Mexican cartels. The DEA has claimed that Sian was backed by Turkish trafficker Ibrahim Ozcelik. 'Sian again stated that he worked with a known drug kingpin, based out of Turkey', the DEA source has claimed. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The documents revealed that Sian had set up a meeting between a US confidential informant known as 'Queen' and Peter Peng Zhou from a Chinese cartel in Vancouver in 2023. US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Zhou claimed he could get the chemicals from China and send them directly to Los Angeles. 'Vancouver is the centre of gravity for hybrid warfare for transnational organised crime in North America,' Scott McGregor, a former military intelligence operator, was quoted as saying by Global News. 'One of my colleagues in DC mentioned that it was a cross between Dubai and Miami.' Sian is said to have moved over 200 kilos of meth before being arrested by the DEA. A federal judge has ordered Sian to be held in custody pending his transfer to California. Sian is set to appear in court on July 21. While several persons of interest have been identified, no one has yet been charged. With inputs from agencies
Sunday World
4 days ago
- Sunday World
Face of drug lord nicknamed ‘Thanos' arrested in Kinahan smuggling network sting
Opinder Singh Sian is currently in custody in Nevada after being charged in connection with a cystal meth smuggling plot This is the Canadian gangster arrested in the US as part of a global sting operation targeting a drugs trafficking network with links to the Kinahan Cartel. Opinder Singh Sian is currently in custody in Nevada after being charged in connection with a plot to ship a massive quantity of methamphetamine into Australia, Sian was unaware that he had been dealing with an undercover agent from the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), who had posed as criminal with contacts in a port in California, while arranging the drugs deal. According to evidence from the DEA, Sian told the undercover agent that he worked with 'Irish organized crime, specifically, the Kinahan family, Italian organized crime, and other Canadian organized crime groups.' The Sunday World can reveal that Sian has a long history of ties to organised crime groups based in Canada and Mexico. Known by the nickname Thanos - a notorious villain in the the Marvel's Avengers series – Sian was believed to be a key associate of the Brothers Keepers gang in Canada. Based in British Columbia, a province on Canada's west coast. the Brothers Keepers are believed to be one of the country's most "prominent and violent" organized crime gangs. According to reports, the Brothers Keepers gang acts as a major 'Canadian proxy' to the notorious Sinaloa cartel in Mexico. The mob are heavily involved in drugs trafficking and have links to the Hells Angels and Wolfpack biker gangs. File image, Getty Images. Reports say Sian was never a 'signed-up' member of the Brothers Keepers and is suspected as acting as broker for the gang. According to the Vancouver Sun, Sian was regularly stopped in cars with with other gangsters by Canadian police and has criminal convictions for careless use of a firearm and obstruction of a peace officer date to 2007. The Canadian newspaper details how Sian was also refused permission in 2015 to bring in a woman in from India to get married after the immigration appeal board ruled it was a sham marriage. Officials claimed Sian's proposed bride did not know he had a criminal record or had previously survived an attempted gangland hit. 'This background is particularly relevant to this appeal because the applicant was not aware of the appellant's criminal history, nor the shooting, nor his work experience at the time of marriage. The panel finds that this is very important information that would be expected to be shared by two persons entering into a genuine relationship,' the immigration board ruled, according to reports in the Vancouver Sun. Read more Episode 1098: Kinahan Cartel smuggling network exposed in undercover sting operation In 2008, Sian was wounded in a shooting in that left his friend Gurpreet Sidhu dead and he survived another bid on his life in 2011. British Columbia has recently been the focus of a number of high profile investigations into the drugs trade – including an international operations targeting the network of ex-Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding. 'Vancouver is the centre of gravity for hybrid warfare for transnational organized crime in North America,' Scott McGregor, a former military intelligence operator, told Global News following Sian's arrest. 'One of my colleagues in D.C. mentioned that it was a cross between Dubai and Miami.' Last month, Sian was arrested in Nevada following a three year operation into his smuggling network by the DEA. The operation began when the DEA recruited an informant – known only by the code name 'Queen' – in Turkey in June 2022. Queen then forged ties with Sian, who was suspected of moving shipments of drugs through ports across the world. As part of an elaborate sting, Queen introduced Sian to an undercover DEA agent who offered to facilitate large drug shipments through the Port of Long Beach in the US. The DEA claim Queen, Sian and the undercover agent met face-to-face at a restaurant in Manhattan Beach, California, in March 2023. During that meeting, they struck a deal to traffic methamphetamine to Australia. Daniel Kinahan However instead of smuggling the drugs, the DEA put in place an elaborate sting operation where agents created a staged shipment of methamphetamine through a safehouse in Pomona, California. The DEA intercepted the original drugs shipment arranged by Sian and substituted them with a decoy batch which was then sent onto Australia. Using a GPS-tracked, Australian police were able to follow the container when it arrived to a suspected stash house in Sydney. DEA agents were able to identify multiple aliases used by figures involved in the network which used encrypted apps to communicate and stretched from Dubai to Istanbul. Sian's arrest has also been big news in India where he is accused of having links to shadowy Pakistani security services agents involved with rogue Chinese drug suppliers. India's News18 reported that Sian was a "critical intermediary" between Pakistani agents and Chinese suppliers, who exploit Canada's "permissive legal and political environment" to traffic synthetic opioids. The channel claimed Indian agencies have identified 40 Indo-Canadians who support this network's operations in Punjab, Delhi and Kashmir. According to the report, Indian intelligence sources have flagged the Kinahan cartel as playing a "role in laundering Canadian drug proceeds.' Last month, a Nevada judge ordered Sian held in custody pending his transfer to California saying that his criminal gang 'is alleged to have ties to international hitmen.' None of the other people named in the affidavit by US officials are facing charges at this time.
