California, Jan 8: US authorities have arrested two Indian-origin truck drivers after seizing 309 pounds of cocaine from their semi-truck, a development that comes amid an ongoing legal battle over commercial driving licences issued to immigrant workers in California.
The accused, Gurpreet Singh and Jasveer Singh, both holders of California-issued commercial driver’s licences, were arrested on January 3 and face charges of dealing in narcotics, officials said. Each has been granted bond of $1 million, while ICE has placed immigration detainers on them.
Police said the drugs were discovered during a vehicle inspection when officers observed suspicious boxes hidden under a blanket in the truck’s sleeping area.
“One of the drivers claimed the truck was empty and heading to a restaurant to await a load,” an officer said, adding that the explanation did not match what was found inside the vehicle.
A K-9 unit later confirmed the presence of illegal substances, leading to the seizure of cocaine valued at nearly $7 million, according to authorities.
The arrests have reignited debate around immigrant participation in the US trucking industry. Law enforcement officials said the case aligns with existing DHS records regarding the drivers’ legal status in the country.
Reacting to the seizure, Indiana Governor Mike Braun said, “Our state maintains a strict stance against drug trafficking, and this operation shows the effectiveness of coordinated policing.”
At the policy level, immigrant truckers in California are facing increasing uncertainty. State officials recently informed around 17,000 drivers that their commercial licences would be revoked due to discrepancies between licence validity and immigration authorisation periods.
The decision followed renewed federal pressure, with the US government warning California and several other states of possible funding cuts over licence issuance to immigrants.
Advocacy organisations, including The Sikh Coalition and the Asian Law Caucus, have filed a class-action lawsuit alleging violations of workers’ rights. “Truck drivers are being unfairly targeted and face growing discrimination,” the groups said in a joint statement.
Meanwhile, a federal review of truck driving schools has found widespread regulatory gaps, raising concerns that thousands of programmes across the US may face closure, further impacting immigrant workers dependent on the sector.
