By Guy Page

A man from India wanted by the FBI as part of an international organized crime investigation was arrested in Vermont early Thursday after being located by the U.S. Border Patrol’s Swanton Sector.

Federal authorities said Nitish Kaushal, also known as “Lala,” was taken into custody on July 16 by Border Patrol agents working with the FBI. The FBI’s Albany field office praised the Swanton Sector for its role in locating and arresting the fugitive, calling it an example of strong cooperation between federal law enforcement agencies to secure the northern border.

Kaushal, 26, is wanted in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California on a federal charge of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) conspiracy. According to the FBI, he is accused of being a member of the Jaggu Bhagwanpuria Organized Crime Group, a transnational criminal organization that originated in India’s Punjab state.

Federal investigators allege the organization is involved in murder, kidnapping, drug trafficking, extortion, weapons trafficking, money laundering and human smuggling. Authorities say Kaushal allegedly carried out violent acts on behalf of the organization, including kidnappings and assaults.

The Vermont arrest comes just over a week after the U.S. Department of Justice announced “Operation Hard Ball,” a multinational law enforcement effort targeting three India-based organized crime groups. Officials said 37 defendants were charged in three federal indictments, with arrests made across the United States, Canada and Europe.

According to the Justice Department, investigators seized approximately 1,000 kilograms of cocaine, 1 kilogram of heroin, $40,000 in cash and a dozen firearms during the operation. Authorities also executed dozens of search warrants in California.

Federal officials have not said how Kaushal came to be in Vermont or whether he was attempting to cross the U.S.-Canada border at the time of his arrest. He is expected to face federal court proceedings on the outstanding California charges.

Jaggu group started in Punjab

Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, 38, of Punjab, India, a gangster imprisoned in India, founded his criminal enterprise in India’s Punjab state, authorities say.

The Bhagwanpuria gang operates as a transnational criminal syndicate headquartered in India with members across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. This group includes more than 1,000 members and associates worldwide, and more than 100 members and associates in the United States.

To expand its power, this group corrupted law enforcement officers in India and partnered with corrupt government officials, including to assist in extortion schemes. It also provided false information to law enforcement officers in India regarding alleged crimes. The Bhagwanpuria group used this false information to target perceived rivals and individuals that members or associates believed were cooperating with law enforcement, often triggering baseless criminal proceedings and extortion plots by corrupt Indian law enforcement officers against perceived rivals.