India committed to working with partners in combatting terrorism, transnational organised crime: MEA
New Delhi, July 14 (IANS/WISHAVWARTA) India on Tuesday reiterated that transnational organised crime, terrorism, drug trafficking, human trafficking, illicit arms trade and allied criminal networks remain major threats to societies.
Addressing a weekly media briefing in New Delhi, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that India and the United States have developed a strong and growing framework of cooperation against terrorism and transnational organised crime, with the agencies from both sides continuing to work in close coordination.
The remarks came after the US Justice Department, in its federal indictments, announced that some global organised crime groups targeted Indian diaspora communities across North America through murder, extortion and intimidation, using high-profile attacks to build fear and expand their criminal enterprises.
“We have seen the announcements made by the US Department of Justice regarding the indictments and enforcement actions against transnational organised crime networks operating across several countries. India has consistently maintained that transnational organised crime, terrorism, narco-trafficking, human trafficking, illegal firearms trafficking and related criminal networks pose a serious threat to our societies,” said Jaiswal.
“India and the United States, as you are aware, enjoy strong, effective and growing cooperation in combating terrorism as well as transnational organised crime. Our agencies in India and the United States have been working closely over the years, and this cooperation continues to strengthen and deepen,” he added.
These indictments by the US Justice Department were announced as part of ‘Operation Hard Ball’ on July 8 (local time), which charged 37 defendants linked to three transnational criminal organisations accused of racketeering, murder, extortion, kidnapping, firearms trafficking and large-scale drug trafficking in the United States, Canada and Europe. As many as 24 suspects have been arrested in the multinational operation.
“These criminal organisations have engaged in widespread violence, including targeted killings, extortions, and kidnappings,” First Assistant US Attorney Bilal A Essayli said while announcing the charges in Los Angeles.
Last week, a senior Canadian law enforcement official said that investigators have found no evidence linking Indian government officials to the US investigation that charged gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and dozens of other members of three organised crime groups.
The clarification came after US authorities unsealed three federal indictments charging 37 defendants linked to transnational criminal organisations with offences including racketeering, murder, extortion, kidnappings and drug trafficking following a years-long multinational investigation spanning the United States, Canada and Europe.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Deputy Commissioner Lisa Moreland said Indian authorities assisted investigators during the years-long probe.
“What I can say to you is in this investigation, as you noted from our US partners, that the Indian government was cooperating in this investigation. We work shoulder and shoulder with the FBI and other agencies to address this,” Moreland said in an interview following the announcement.
She added: “Through the course of this investigation, it would highlight that that’s where we’re striving for.”
Responding to a question on the RCMP’s statement during the press briefing, Jaiswal said that the comments were in line with the recently unsealed US indictment and reaffirmed India’s commitment to combating terrorism and transnational organised crime through international cooperation.
“We have noted the remarks made by the Deputy Commissioner of the RCMP. These remarks are consistent with the recently unsealed U.S. indictment, which attributes responsibility to members of the Lawrence Bishnoi organised crime group. India remains committed to working with its partners to combat terrorism and transnational organised crime through close law enforcement and security cooperation,” the MEA spokesperson mentioned.
