Sources said that Indian agencies, through the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), also shared a list of gangsters based in the US and other foreign countries, along with evidence. The meetings gained pace over the last one-and-a-half months, before the coordinated crackdown by law enforcement agencies in the US, Canada and Europe.“After the deportation of gangster Anmol Bishnoi from the US (in November last year), who is wanted as the main plotter in the murder of NCP leader Baba Siddique, coordination between India’s central agencies and US law enforcement agencies improved significantly,” said sources.In their recent meetings, the central agencies are learnt to have shared and verified with US officials a list of associates of Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar, along with details of their possible hideouts.Also Read | Hardeep Singh Nijjar killing | US charges Lawrence Bishnoi, Brar; no India government link: Canada“In the last five years, several of their associates have been arrested here, and, during questioning, many of them disclosed details about Lawrence Bishnoi, his associates and their activities abroad. On the basis of their disclosures and technical surveillance, evidence was gathered against them,” said sources.Last year, US officials also visited the NIA headquarters in Delhi, where they shared their concerns about alleged links between Indian-origin gangsters and US drug cartels. They also shared a list of names and sought assistance in taking action against them.Besides the killings of Siddique and singer Sidhu Moosewala, Lawrence Bishnoi has also been linked to multiple threats against actor Salman Khan. Arrested in 2014, he is now lodged in a jail in Gujarat.Jaggu Bhagwanpuria has also been arrested and is lodged in a jail in Assam since March 24 last year.Story continues below this adRead | Foreign guns, six young men: How twin shootings in Delhi, Haryana were executedBoth Goldy Brar and Rohit Godara are absconding. According to agencies, Goldy Brar, an aide of Lawrence Bishnoi, is suspected to be working with Azerbaijan-based Rohit Godara. Lawrence Bishnoi is now associated with Canada-based Noni Rana and US-based Harry Boxer.A central agency official said investigations in multiple cases had revealed that most of these US-based gangsters were in touch with Pakistan-based smugglers for bringing huge quantities of narcotics into India, and for targeted killings.Also Read | Punjab Police Inspector named in extortion racket, US to seek extradition“Apart from using drones to smuggle narcotics consignments, large consignments brought into India by gangster-smugglers are mostly routed through the sea. They are currently using VPNs to mask their locations and encrypt communication, making it difficult to trace them. They also use encrypted messaging apps for secure communication, and it is difficult to track their channels,” said sources.Mahender Singh Manral is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. He is known for his impactful and breaking stories. He covers the Ministry of Home Affairs, Investigative Agencies, National Investigative Agency, Central Bureau of Investigation, Law Enforcement Agencies, Paramilitary Forces, and internal security. Prior to this, Manral had extensively reported on city-based crime stories along with that he also covered the anti-corruption branch of the Delhi government for a decade. He is known for his knack for News and a detailed understanding of stories. He also worked with Mail Today as a senior correspondent for eleven months. He has also worked with The Pioneer for two years where he was exclusively covering crime beat. During his initial days of the career he also worked with The Statesman newspaper in the national capital, where he was entrusted with beats like crime, education, and the Delhi Jal Board. A graduate in Mass Communication, Manral is always in search of stories that impact lives. ... Read More Tags:Canada