Two Indian-origin truck drivers based in California were arrested in the United States after police discovered a massive consignment of cocaine hidden inside their semi-truck, triggering both a criminal investigation and fresh debate around immigrant trucking licences in the country. Authorities seized 309 pounds of cocaine, valued at approximately $7 million, or about Rs 63 crore, during a traffic stop in Putnam County, Indiana.
The two men have been identified as Gurpreet Singh, 25, and Jasveer Singh, 30. Both were operating a commercial tractor-trailer and held valid California commercial driver’s licences at the time of their arrest. The incident took place on January 3, when Indiana State Police stopped their vehicle and began questioning the drivers about their travel plans.
According to police records, Jasveer Singh initially claimed that the truck was empty and that he was heading to Richmond to wait for a cargo assignment. However, officers noticed several cardboard boxes covered with a blanket inside the sleeper section of the truck, which immediately raised suspicion. A K-9 unit was called to the scene and alerted officers to the presence of narcotics. A search of the vehicle led to the discovery of hundreds of pounds of cocaine concealed inside the truck.
Both men were taken into custody and charged with dealing in narcotics, a Level 2 felony under Indiana law. Their bonds were set at $1 million each. Following the arrests, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement placed detainers on both suspects as federal authorities began reviewing their immigration status and prior entry records. Officials said the case aligns with earlier Department of Homeland Security data related to their stay in the United States.
Indiana Governor Mike Braun praised the state police for the major drug seizure and reiterated Indiana’s tough stance on drug trafficking, saying such operations protect communities and prevent dangerous substances from reaching the streets.
The arrests come at a time when immigrant truck drivers, particularly Sikhs, are facing increased scrutiny across the United States, especially in California. The state has recently notified around 17,000 truck drivers that their commercial licences will be revoked because their licence validity extends beyond the period they are legally permitted to stay in the country. The move followed renewed pressure from the Trump administration, which has warned states such as California, New York, Minnesota and Pennsylvania that federal funding could be cut if they continue issuing licences to immigrants without permanent legal status.
In response, Sikh advocacy groups and civil rights organisations have taken legal action. The Sikh Coalition and the Asian Law Caucus have filed a class-action lawsuit against California’s Department of Motor Vehicles, arguing that the licence revocations violate workers’ rights and unfairly target immigrant drivers. They say Sikh truckers have increasingly faced discrimination and harassment, particularly after several high-profile truck accidents in recent months.
At the same time, the US trucking industry is undergoing a major federal review. A recent Transportation Department assessment found that nearly 44 percent of the country’s approximately 16,000 truck driving training programmes may not be meeting minimum regulatory standards. If the findings lead to closures, thousands of drivers, including many immigrants, could be affected.
The arrest of Gurpreet Singh and Jasveer Singh has therefore taken on broader significance, not only as a major drug bust but also as part of a larger national conversation about immigration, labour rights and the future of the American trucking industry, where Sikh drivers form a substantial and visible workforce.