Trucker Ajitpal Singh Sanghera arrested after $3M cocaine bust at Blaine

Pacific Highway Port of Entry in Blaine, Washington. Photo: CBP

FOLLOWUP

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AJITPAL Singh Sanghera, 41, was arrested last Saturday after U.S. Customs and Border Protection, in coordination with Homeland Security Investigations-Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the Pacific Highway Truck Crossing in Blaine, allegedly found 134 pounds of cocaine, with an estimated value of $3 million, in the tractor-trailer he was driving to Canada.

The seizure occurred during an outbound inspection when CBP officers referred the Canadian citizen’s tractor-trailer for additional examination. While searching the trailer, CBP officers found five small duffle bags on the floor. Inside the duffle bags, officers found 50 plastic wrapped packages containing cocaine.

Cocaine seizure at Blaine. Photo from CBP

Upon discovery of the cocaine, CBP officers took Sanghera into custody and eventually transferred him over to the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office along with the narcotics, according to the CBP.

Bellingham Herald reported that Sanghera was nabbed thanks to an anonymous tip with specific information and it is suspected that he is connected to a large international drug trafficking organization.

He was booked on suspicion of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and is being held in lieu of $100,000 bail, according to the newspaper.

Sanghera admitted to officers that he owned the truck and had picked up the trailer in Seattle earlier that day.

The Bellingham Herald reported that officers found he had crossed into the U.S. more than 40 times so far this year. That, along with the amount of cocaine that was seized on Saturday, indicated to officers that he was part of an international drug trafficking organization.