B.C. court lifts publication ban in U.S. extradition case

Three men sought by the United States in an alleged cross-border drug-trafficking case may try to have their matter heard in Canada, though the B.C. Supreme Court says that possibility remains speculative.

Gurtej Smagh, Jaskarn Baghri and Ravinder Dhanda were arrested in B.C. last month. U.S. authorities allege they smuggled cocaine and methamphetamine into Canada from the United States.

CBC successfully applied to lift a publication ban covering evidence at the men’s bail hearings. Their lawyers had argued that publication could compromise a fair U.S. trial and said coverage had wrongly linked the men to India’s Lawrence Bishnoi gang.

Justice Elizabeth McDonald found that jury screening in the United States would better address any fairness concerns than a broad Canadian publication ban. Information about the men’s proposed sureties will remain sealed because of a potential risk of serious harm to innocent people.

The U.S. Justice Department announced the arrests among 24 suspects worldwide last month. Authorities linked that wider operation to India-based criminal groups, including groups alleged to be connected to the 2023 killing of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey; the three men face a separate indictment.