Drug smuggling: Interpol issues red corner notice against 9 Indo-Canadians

TORONTO: Interpol has issued a red corner notice against nine Indo-Canadians for their alleged involvement in a drug smuggling network operating out of India, according to a media report.

The notices have been issued against Ranjit "Daraa" Aujla, Lehmber Daleh, Parminder Singh Deo, Sarabjit Singh Sandar, Harbans Singh Sidhu, Nirankar Singh Dhillon, Gursewak Singh Dhillon, Amarjit Singh and Pardip Singh.

Aujla, who's former president of the BC Kabaddi Federation, said that he'll go to India "to fight the case", The Vancouver Sun reported.

He said he's innocent of the allegations, which have been swirling as rumours and occasional news reports since the 2013 arrest in Punjab of Jagdish Bhola, a former cop and wrestler.

At the time, police alleged Bhola was the kingpin of a billion-dollar network supplying heroin and methamphetamine to North America and Europe through Canadian contacts who smuggled drugs out of India.

Aujla said he was in Punjab when Bhola was arrested, but was never questioned or taken into custody by police.

"I hired a lawyer to check if there's any case against me in India," he said, "and my lawyer said there's nothing going on."

He said he came to know about the Interpol warrant when a reporter called him this week.

Meanwhile, Deo, who is retired, told the media that he has hired a lawyer in Punjab to get more information about the case.

He said he hasn't been in India in four years.

"I am very shocked from this news because in India, someone sitting in jail, he is telling all the stories," Deo said.