Washington, Aug 2 – US officials have arrested two Indian nationals, Simranjit Singh, 28, and Gusimrat Singh, 19, both from Fresno, California, in connection with a significant drug trafficking operation. The Department of Justice announced that the duo was charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess controlled substances with intent to distribute.
The arrests occurred after local police discovered over 400 kilograms of suspected cocaine, valued at more than USD 10.5 million, in the cab of their tractor trailer. The two men made their initial court appearances before a federal court in Boston on July 29 and are currently held in federal custody.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy described the seizure as “disturbing and dangerous,” highlighting the significant quantity of drugs involved and the defendants’ alleged plan to distribute narcotics across the country into Massachusetts communities.
Charging documents reveal that on July 29, at approximately 10:15 pm, a white tractor trailer driven by Gusimrat Singh and Simranjit Singh arrived at a prearranged Andover address to deliver methamphetamine to undercover agents. The men reportedly handed over 65 pounds of suspected methamphetamine to the agents before being taken into custody.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess controlled substances with intent to distribute carries severe penalties, including up to 20 years in prison, a minimum of three years and up to life on supervised release, and fines up to USD 1,000,000.
