Two men from California are facing serious drug trafficking charges after police uncovered more than 300 pounds of cocaine during a routine traffic stop on a major Indiana highway.
The two occupants of the truck — Gurpreet Singh of Fresno and Jasveer Singh of Santa Clara — were arrested at the scene. Police said the truck had been travelling from Joplin, Missouri, to Richmond, Indiana.
Both men have been charged with dealing narcotics, a Level 2 felony under Indiana law, and were remanded to the Putnam County Jail.
Indiana State Police said a trooper stopped a semi-truck travelling eastbound on Interstate 70 near mile marker 41 in Putnam County on Saturday afternoon for a standard Department of Transportation compliance inspection.
During the stop, officers observed indicators of possible criminal activity and deployed a K-9 unit. The police dog alerted to the presence of narcotics, prompting a search of the vehicle.
Troopers discovered about 309 pounds of cocaine hidden inside the truck’s sleeper berth. Authorities estimate the drugs have a street value of approximately US$7 million.
Indiana Gov. Mike Braun praised law enforcement for finding $7 million worth of cocaine.
“Indiana has zero tolerance for drug traffickers,” Braun said in a release.
In an update released on January 5, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security confirmed that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has lodged immigration detainers against the two men in connection with the case.
Federal authorities allege the pair are “criminal illegal aliens” from India and claim they were operating the semi-truck using Commercial Driver Licences issued by the state of California.
In a statement, Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin criticised California Governor Gavin Newsom, arguing that state policies allowed the men to remain in the United States and obtain commercial licences.
“ICE law enforcement lodged arrest detainers to ensure these drug traffickers are not allowed back into American communities,” McLaughlin said.
According to DHS, Gurpreet Singh allegedly entered the United States illegally in March 2023 near Lukeville, Arizona, while Jasveer Singh is alleged to have entered illegally in 2017 near Otay Mesa, California.
ICE also claims Singh was previously arrested in California in December 2025, but an earlier detainer was not honoured, leading to his release.
Police have released images showing dozens of brick-shaped packages of cocaine stacked inside the tractor-trailer, describing the seizure as a significant disruption to interstate drug trafficking. Investigations into the case are ongoing.
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