Indian National Charged With Drug Trafficking, Illegal Firearm Possession In US

An Indian national has been charged in the US with drug trafficking and possessing an illegal firearm after federal agents allegedly found more than 40 pounds of methamphetamine during searches in California, the US Department of Justice said.

According to court documents, 50-year-old Kawal Preet Singh, an unlawful resident of the US, allegedly sold wholesale quantities of methamphetamine from a Round Table Pizza restaurant that he operated in Dinuba. Authorities alleged that he was armed with illegal firearms while carrying out the operation.

Drugs, Guns And Cash Seized

Federal agents searched Singh's home and business on August 18 and seized more than 40 pounds of methamphetamine, three firearms and over $10,000 in cash, the Department of Justice said in a statement on Thursday, PTI reports.

The scale of the alleged seizure, coupled with the presence of firearms and cash, makes the case particularly serious. However, the allegations against Singh have yet to be proved in court.

Life Sentence Possible If Convicted

If convicted of drug trafficking, Singh faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison. He could also be fined up to $10 million.

For possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, Singh faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years, which would run consecutively to any other sentence. The maximum punishment for the firearm charge is life imprisonment.

Any sentence would ultimately be determined by the court after considering applicable statutory factors and federal sentencing guidelines, which take several variables into account.

Charges Remain Allegations

The charges against Singh are allegations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proved guilty beyond reasonable doubt.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.

The case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative, a whole-of-government partnership aimed at eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organisations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the US and abroad.