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U.S. drug seizure fuels debate on immigrant truck driver licensing
Law enforcement officials said the men were taken into custody after a traffic stop led to the discovery of approximately 309 pounds of cocaine hidden in a semi-truck.
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IANS - Sat, 10, Jan 2026
- 09:22 EST
- 19
Police stand guard at the festival shooting site in Gilroy, California, the United States, July 29, 2019. Four people died and 15 others were injured in a shooting incident on July 28 at the annual Gilroy Garlic Festival in Northern California, Gilroy police confirmed at a press conference. / Courtesy: Li Jianguo/Xinhua/IANS
The arrest of two California-based drivers of Indian origin in the United States after authorities found over 300 pounds of cocaine hidden in a semi-truck in Indiana has added a new and controversial dimension to an already heated debate over public safety, immigration policy, and the future of the U.S. trucking workforce as legal challenges and federal reviews continue, a report said on Jan. 10.
The dispute, it mentioned, has escalated amid fresh federal pressure on states that issue licenses to immigrants, with the U.S. government warning that funding could be withheld from several states, including California, if the policy persists.
“Two California-based truck drivers of Indian origin were arrested in the United States earlier this month after authorities uncovered a large cache of cocaine concealed inside their vehicle, an incident that has drawn attention amid a broader national debate over licensing and regulation in the trucking industry.
Law enforcement officials said the men were taken into custody after a traffic stop led to the discovery of approximately 309 pounds of cocaine hidden in a semi-truck,” a report in 'Khalsa Vox' detailed.
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“The seized narcotics were estimated to have a street value of about US$7 million (INR 63 crore). Both drivers were arrested on Jan. 3 and are currently being held in the Putnam County Jail, with bond set at US$1 million each.
The suspects, identified as Gurpreet Singh, 25, and Jasveer Singh, 30, are holders of California-issued commercial driver’s licenses. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has lodged detainers against both men, citing questions surrounding their immigration status,” it stated.
According to the report, the arrests come at a time of heightened federal scrutiny of the trucking industry, particularly driver training and licensing programs. A recent U.S. Transportation Department review found serious shortcomings in a significant number of truck driving schools in meeting regulatory standards.
“In California, the case has also intersected with a contentious legal and political dispute over the issuance of commercial driver’s licenses to immigrant truckers, many of whom are Sikh. State officials recently notified about 17,000 drivers that their licenses would be revoked because the expiration dates extended beyond the period during which the drivers were legally authorized to remain in the U.S.,” the report mentioned.
“Immigrant truckers have challenged the move in court, arguing that the revocations violate labor protections and unfairly target foreign-born drivers,” it further noted.
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