Coming to a new country should mean leaving fear behind. But for many families, threats from back home followed them right to their doorsteps.
WHAT HAPPENED
Federal agents raided homes in California on Tuesday to break up three global crime groups based in India. Police arrested 24 people in the United States, Canada, and Spain. Prosecutors say these groups used violence, kidnapping, and threats to steal money from people.
The gangs targeted immigrants with ties to India. They threatened to hurt or kill family members back in India if the victims did not pay them. Two of the gang leaders even ran their networks from inside Indian prisons.
Agents searched homes in Los Angeles and Sacramento. During the raids, they found 1,000 kilograms of cocaine, one kilogram of heroin, and 12 guns. They also seized $40,000 in cash.
FACT BOX
- 24 suspects arrested across three countries
- 11 arrests made in California
- 37 total defendants charged in the case
- 1,000 kilograms of cocaine seized by agents
- 10 fugitives still on the run globally
WHY IT MATTERS
This case shows that moving across the ocean does not always protect families from crime back home. Local neighborhoods become part of global drug routes when gangs move massive amounts of drugs into local communities.
When gangs can run operations from inside a foreign prison, it makes people feel like they are never truly safe. This raid brings relief to local communities who lived in fear of threats to their loved ones.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
The arrested suspects will face trial in federal court for drug trafficking and extortion. Police are still searching for 10 people who got away, including seven in the United States.
Local and federal police will keep working with foreign governments to secure prisons in India. They want to stop inmates from using phones to run crime rings.
WHAT WE STILL DON'T KNOW
- How did prisoners in India get the tools to run global crime rings from their cells?
- Who were the specific local targets of the extortion plots in California?
- Where are the remaining 10 fugitives hiding?
SOURCE NOTE
This story is based on reporting by KTLA. All charges are allegations, the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Transparency notes
Published: Jul 8, 2026. No major post-publication update has been logged.
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Sources
External source links were not provided in this article body. Our editors reference publicly available materials and update stories as new verified information arrives.
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