B.C. man accused of heading drug

B.C. man accused of heading drug-smuggling ring granted bail ahead of U.S. extradition hearing

Ravinder Dhanda is one of 3 B.C. men arrested in July as a part of 'Operation Hard Ball'

A B.C. man has been granted bail as he fights extradition to the United States on charges he ran a drug ring that imported hundreds of kilograms of cocaine and methamphetamine into Canada.

Sureties for Ravinder Singh Dhanda must post $700,000 bail, and he must submit to electronic monitoring and remain under 24-hour house arrest, pending a future extradition hearing.

Dhanda, dressed in a dark grey suit and white collared shirt, sat quietly through Monday's hearing before giving a thumbs up to family members in the gallery when the judge rendered his decision.

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Dhanda, along with co-accused Jaskarn Baghri and Gurtej Smagh were arrested in July, part of Operation Hard Ball, a joint operation between the RCMP and Federal Bureau of Investigation.

U.S. authorities allege Dhanda led the smuggling operation that used long-haul semi-trucks to transport more than 430 kilograms of cocaine from the Los Angeles area into Canada between July 2023 and November 2024.

Dhanda is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to export controlled substances, operating a continuing criminal enterprise and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

If convicted in the U.S., he would face life imprisonment.

CBC News successfully challenged a publication ban covering evidence presented at the trio's bail hearings, with the exception of information identifying the men's sureties.

At Monday's hearing, the court heard that Dhanda had allegedly sent a dispatcher — dubbed CHS in court filings — to the U.S. to co-ordinate drug shipments.

Unbeknownst to Dhanda, the dispatcher was actually a confidential source informing U.S. authorities, the court heard.

The court heard that U.S. law enforcement recorded an in-person meeting between the two men at Peace Arch Park at the Canada-U.S. border crossing in B.C. in July 2023.

At the meeting, Dhanda allegedly introduced CHS to Baghri, who he said could help co-ordinate drug loads, and told CHS to open a trucking company to operate a parallel smuggling operation to his existing routes.

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The court heard that Dhanda and CHS remained in contact, allegedly co-ordinating several large drug loads from the L.A. area over the following 18 months which were subsequently intercepted and seized by police.

The hearing also heard that Canadian police recorded a meeting between the two men and an undercover RCMP officer in Surrey in January 2025, which was joined by both co-accused Baghri and Smagh.

At that meeting, the group allegedly discussed trafficking future loads form L.A. and extortions, the court heard.

The Crown had sought to have Dhanda kept in custody arguing that as an alleged crime group leader he would have access to people and resources to help him flee, and noted police had found $78,000 in cash in his home.

But in granting bail, Justice Alan Ross ruled the 57-year-old was not a flight risk, noting he was "well settled" in the Lower Mainland where his wife and adult children live, and that he had no available equity from the two homes he owns but which are being targeted by B.C.'s Civil Forfeiture office.

Dhanda, who was born in India and immigrated to Canada at 16, is now a Canadian citizen who hadn't visited his country of birth in 18 years, he added.

Ross also addressed an allegation contained in a letter from the U.S. Department of Justice that Dhanda had been recorded discussing the murder of an associate who was allegedly informing to police.

"It does cause me some concern," Ross said, but noted Dhanda has not been charged with any violent crime. He noted there was no context for the claim, and that U.S. officials hadn't included it in any other legal submissions.

He added that Dhanda would face strict release conditions and would be under close police supervision.

'Operation Hard Ball' explained

Along with house arrest and wearing an ankle monitor, Dhanda will be required to check in regularly with a bail supervisor, be limited to a single phone, and is banned from possessing weapons or contacting his co-accused.

His next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 9.

Dhanda's co-accused Gurtej Smagh was denied bail last month. Jaskarn Baghri's hearing is slated to be heard later this week.