Two Indian-origin truck drivers from California were arrested in the United States after authorities discovered 309 pounds of cocaine, valued at approximately $7 million USD, hidden inside their semi-truck.
The arrests, on January 3, have reignited debates over commercial driver’s licences (CDLs) for immigrant truckers, particularly Sikh drivers, in California. The men, identified as Gurpreet Singh, 25, and Jasveer Singh, 30, both hold California-issued CDLs. They remain in Putnam County Jail, each with bonds set at $1 million USD, while US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has issued detainers due to concerns over their immigration status.
According to police reports, Jasveer Singh initially told officers he was transporting an empty tractor-trailer to a Richmond restaurant to wait for a load. Officers, however, noticed several cardboard boxes covered with a blanket in the truck’s sleeper berth. A free-air K-9 alert prompted a search, uncovering the cocaine.
Authorities said the arrests align with prior Department of Homeland Security (DHS) records regarding the men’s entry into the US and their legal status. Both now face preliminary charges of dealing in narcotics, classified as Level 2 felonies. Indiana Governor Mike Braun commended the Indiana State Police for the seizure, reinforcing the state’s strict stance on drug trafficking.
The arrests occur amid increased scrutiny of truck driving programmes and licensing nationwide. An Associated Press report indicates that nearly 44 per cent of the 16,000 truck driving programmes across the US could face closure following a federal Transportation Department review, citing failure to meet regulatory standards.
In California, immigrant truckers have filed a lawsuit against the state Department of Motor Vehicles after officials moved to revoke CDLs. Authorities notified approximately 17,000 truckers last month that their licences would be revoked because their licence expiration dates extended beyond their legal stay in the US. The action follows pressure from the Trump administration, which threatened to withhold federal funding from California, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, and New York over immigrant driver licensing.
