WASHINGTON, D.C. — Two Indian nationals have been arrested in the United States after authorities discovered more than 300 pounds of cocaine hidden inside a semi-truck in Indiana, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said it lodged arrest detainers on January 4 against Gurpreet Singh, 25, and Jasveer Singh, 30, following their arrest by local authorities in Putnam County, Indiana, on narcotics trafficking-related charges.
Law enforcement officials said 309 pounds of cocaine were found concealed in the sleeper berth of the semi-truck the men were operating. The drugs were discovered during a routine truck inspection. DHS said the amount seized was sufficient to kill more than 113,000 people.
According to the department, both men were issued commercial driver’s licenses by the state of California, allowing them to operate commercial vehicles across state lines.
ICE said detainers were lodged to ensure the men remain in custody and are transferred to federal immigration authorities after local criminal proceedings conclude.
“Thanks to Gavin Newsom’s reckless policies, these two criminal illegal aliens were granted commercial drivers licenses by the state of California and were arrested for trafficking a whopping 300 pounds of cocaine inside a semi-truck,” Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.
“Gavin Newsom and his fellow sanctuary politicians even refused to honor an arrest detainer on one of these criminal illegal aliens in December,” she said. “Sanctuary policies put American lives at risk.”
DHS said Gurpreet Singh illegally entered the United States on March 11, 2023, near Lukeville, Arizona, and was released into the country under the Biden administration.
Jasveer Singh illegally entered the United States on March 21, 2017, near Otay Mesa, California, according to the department. He was arrested on December 5, 2025, in San Bernardino, California, on charges of receiving stolen property. ICE said it lodged an arrest detainer at that time, but it was not honored due to California’s sanctuary policies, resulting in his release.
The Indiana seizure highlights the continued use of commercial trucking routes by drug trafficking networks, DHS said. Authorities have not disclosed the intended destination of the cocaine or whether additional suspects are being sought.
ICE detainers are requests to local law enforcement agencies asking to be notified before a person is released from custody so federal immigration authorities can assume custody. (Source: IANS)
