Two Indian-origin truck drivers have been arrested in the United States after authorities in Indiana seized more than 300 pounds of cocaine during a routine traffic stop, uncovering a drug haul valued at approximately $7 million. US officials said the quantity of narcotics was large enough to kill more than one lakh Americans, highlighting the scale of the alleged trafficking operation.
The arrests were made following an inspection by the Indiana State Police on Interstate 70 in Putnam County. The semi-tractor trailer was stopped for a compliance check after troopers observed indicators suggesting potential criminal activity. During the inspection, officers noted irregular driving patterns and equipment defects, which led to further scrutiny of the vehicle.
The truck was being driven by Gurpreet Singh, 25, and Jasveer Singh, 30, both residents of California. According to investigators, the pair claimed the trailer was empty and said they had been instructed to travel from Missouri to Indiana to wait for a cargo assignment. However, inconsistencies during questioning prompted officers to deploy a narcotics detection dog, which alerted them to the presence of drugs.
A subsequent search of the vehicle uncovered 309 pounds of cocaine concealed inside the sleeper berth of the truck. Authorities said the drugs were hidden in cardboard boxes covered with a blanket, a method commonly used to disguise contraband during long-haul transport. Both men were immediately taken into custody and transported to the local county jail.
The US Department of Homeland Security later confirmed that both truckers had entered the United States illegally. Officials said Gurpreet Singh crossed into the country in 2023, while Jasveer Singh entered in 2017. DHS also revealed that Jasveer Singh had been arrested previously in late 2025 on charges related to stolen property.
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement has placed deportation holds on both men as the criminal case proceeds. Federal authorities stated that the volume of cocaine seized posed a severe public safety threat, estimating that it could result in over 113,000 fatal overdoses if distributed.
The case has reignited political debate in the US over illegal immigration, sanctuary policies, and the issuance of commercial driving licences. Federal officials alleged that California’s licensing practices allowed the suspects to obtain commercial driver credentials despite their unlawful immigration status, a claim that state authorities have disputed.
The arrests come amid heightened national concern over drug trafficking in the US, which continues to grapple with a persistent narcotics crisis. According to government surveys, millions of Americans use cocaine annually, with much of the supply entering the country through international smuggling networks.
Indiana’s leadership praised the seizure, calling it a major disruption of narcotics trafficking along key interstate routes. State police said the bust reflected sustained enforcement efforts aimed at intercepting drugs moving across the country’s highway corridors.
Meanwhile, scrutiny has intensified on California’s commercial driver licence system after federal transportation authorities flagged thousands of licences issued to non-citizens as potentially non-compliant. The issue has sparked a broader confrontation between state and federal agencies over enforcement standards, public safety, and immigration policy.
As legal proceedings move forward, officials stressed that investigations are ongoing to determine whether the arrested truckers were part of a larger trafficking network operating across state lines.
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