Indian-origin drug lord wanted by FBI arrested in Ludhiana: Punjab Police
The Hindu
Punjab police arrest Indian-origin drug lord linked to major U.S. narcotics seizure, part of ongoing anti-drug campaign.
Punjab police on Monday (March 10, 2025) said it has arrested an Indian-origin transnational drug lord, wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in connection with one of the largest narcotics seizures in the U.S., in Ludhiana.
Shehnaz Singh, also known as Shawn Bhinder, had been operating under the guise of a transportation business in Canada since 2014 and allegedly facilitated the movement of drugs from Colombia to the U.S. and Canada via Mexico, the police said.
After a crackdown by the FBI, Bhinder, a native of village Mandiala in Batala who had been residing in Brampton in Canada, managed to give a slip to the FBI sleuths and clandestinely landed in India, Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said adding that the Punjab Police successfully tracked and arrested him from the jurisdiction of Ludhiana.
He was wanted by the FBI in one of the largest drug seizures in the U.S. on February 26, 2025, where the agency had arrested six of his associates and seized 391 kg methamphetamine, 109 kg cocaine, four sophisticated weapons and vehicles from their possession.
The six arrested by the FBI were identified as Amritpal Singh alias Amrit alias Bal, Amritpal Singh alias Cheema, Taqdeer Singh alias Romi, Sarabjit Singh Saabi, Fernando Valladares alias Franco and Gurlal Singh.
The arrest came amid Punjab government's ongoing "Yudh Nashian Virudh" (war against drugs) campaign, launched on February 25.
The DGP said Bhinder was also wanted in an Arms Act case registered in December 2024. The Tarn Taran Police had arrested five members of the notorious Jaggu Bhagwanpuria and Amritpal Batth gang in the case, leading to the recovery of a significant cache of arms and ammunition from their possession.
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