CHANDIGARH: Two Punjab-origin illegal Indian migrants have been arrested in the United States by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for smuggling more than 309 pounds of cocaine inside a semi-truck in Putnam County, Indiana.
A lethal dose of cocaine being as little as 1.2 grams, is enough to kill more than 113,000 Americans.
"On January 4 this year, ICE lodged detainers Gurpreet Singh (25) and Jasveer Sing (30), criminal illegal aliens from India, following their arrest by local authorities in Putnam County, Indiana, for narcotics trafficking,’’ stated DHS.
It further added that law enforcement located the cocaine concealed in the sleeper berth of the semi-truck during a routine truck inspection.
Both individuals were given Commercial Drivers' Licenses issued by the state of California.
Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said, "These two criminal illegal aliens were granted commercial driver's licenses by the state of California and were arrested for trafficking a whopping 300 pounds of cocaine inside a semi-truck. Sanctuary policies put American lives at risk. ICE law enforcement lodged detainers to ensure these drug traffickers are not allowed back into American communities.”
The DHS added that Gurpreet Singh illegally entered the United States on March 11, 2023, near Lukeville, Arizona and accessed the country under the Biden administration. Notably, Singh freely admitted to law enforcement that he was a citizen of India and was illegally staying in the US.
Meanwhile, Jasveer Singh illegally entered the U.S. on March 21, 2017, near Otay Mesa, California. He was arrested on December 5 this year for receiving stolen property in San Bernardino, California.
"Due to Governor Newsom’s sanctuary polices, the detainer was not honoured, and this criminal illegal alien was released back into American communities,’’ DHS stated and added that Indiana seizure highlights the use of commercial trucking routes by drug trafficking networks.