The FBI has arrested alleged gangster Nitish Kaushal in Vermont, just days after placing him on its most wanted list as part of a crackdown on a transnational organised crime network.
"Nitish Kaushal has been arrested in Vermont," the FBI said in a post on X on Thursday.
Kaushal, an Indian national hailing from Punjab, is accused of carrying out violent crimes on behalf of the Bhagwanpuria organised crime group, including kidnappings and assaults, according to the FBI.
Nitish Kaushal alias Lala allegedly involved in murder, kidnapping and drug trafficking in the United States and was recently added in the list of most wanted criminals.
The FBI said that Kaushal was arrested as authorities closed in on the Bhagwanpuria gang and had also warned that he should be considered armed, dangerous, and an escape risk.
The agency noted that Kaushal allegedly carried out acts of violence, including, but not limited to kidnappings and assaults and he did so on behalf of the Bhagwanpuria Organized Crime Group that originated in Punjab and operated in the Central District of California and elsewhere.
The gang has been engaged in murder, kidnapping, drug trafficking, extortion, weapons trafficking, money laundering, and human smuggling.
Lala born on June 15, 2020 hails from Punjab and is based in the US and is the alleged leader of the gang in North America.
A federal arrest warrant was issued against Kaushal on June 25 by the US District Court for the Central District of California after he was charged with conspiracy under the RICO Act.
According to the FBI, Kaushal is wanted for his alleged role in the Jaggu Bhagwanpuria Organised Crime Group, which originated in Punjab and later expanded its operations to the United States, including California.
His arrest comes weeks after US agencies launched Operation Hard Ball a coordinated international law enforcement operation that led to the arrest of 15 members of three organised crime groups with links to India as authorities have charged 34 individuals in connection with the activities of the Lawrence Bishnoi, Jaggu Bhagwanpuria and Dhanda organized crime group.
The operation involved raids across the US, Canada, and Europe, underscoring growing international efforts to dismantle transnational criminal syndicates with roots in India. Before his arrest, Kaushal was among the 11 accused who remained fugitives or were not in US custody.
According to US authorities, most of those charged in the case, including Kaushal could face, `` a mandatory minimum prison sentence between 10 years in federal prison and life imprisonment, and a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison."
