Cocaine in cement luggage: Indian-origin Gurvinder Singh arrested in Australia for running international smuggling network

Indian-origin Australian Gurvinder Singh arrested in Sydney for running international drug smuggling. (Photo: NSW Police)

Gurvinder Singh, a 42-year-old Indian-origin Australian man, has been arrested after two years of multi-agency investigation for allegedly masterminding an international drug racket that smuggle 20 million unlawful cigarettes and practically half a tonne of medicine into Sydney, the Australia Today reported. The racket concerned cocaine hid in cement luggage, 280 kg of liquid methamphetamine and a network of “trusted insiders” at port services who helped the racked. The syndicate generated no less than $443,000 in proceeds from promoting unlawful cigarettes on Sydney’s black market alone.

Suspected cargo from Vancouver

In August 2024, the Australian police intercepted a consignment of 280 kg of liquid methamphetamine shipped from Canada’s Vancouver. Officers traced the illicit cargo to a clandestine cool-down operation in Riverstone and arrested two males who led the investigation to Singh. Further investigations revealed that related shipments have been coming from Panama, the UAE and through one operation police even swapped the cocaine with an inert substance.

150 officers raided Singh’s property

Last week, greater than 150 officers executed coordinated raised and Singh was apprehended outdoors a non-public residence. Six associates—two of whom are Canadian nationals, 24-year-old Aman Kang and 31-year-old Mani Singh Dhaliwal—have been additionally taken into custody.Singh faces a complete of 5 counts of importing a business amount of border-controlled medicine and unlawful tobacco, two counts of coping with proceeds of crime, and two counts regarding main a legal group.If convicted, he might face life imprisonment. Kang and Dhaliwal every face fees of possessing a business amount of medicine and taking part in a legal group. All suspects have been denied bail throughout their preliminary appearances and can subsequent seem at Downing Centre Local Court in July.Singh’s lawyer argued that his consumer ought to be launched on bail due to his underlying well being situations and likewise as he’s the only real breadwinner of the household.