Drug lord wanted by FBI arrested in Ludhiana

Punjab police on Monday 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 United States, 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 US 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 US 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.

Deputy Inspector General of Police (Ferozepur Range) Swapan Sharma accompanied by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Tarn Taran Abhimanyu Rana said preliminary investigations reveal that Bhinder played a key role in transporting large consignments of drugs across international borders using trucks and trailers.

He said it was found during interrogation that 'accused Shawn Bhinder, operating under the guise of a legitimate transportation business in Canada since 2014, allegedly facilitated the movement of drugs from Colombia to the US and Canada via Mexico'.

Probe also revealed that Bhinder, along with his accomplices, was transporting approximately 600 kg of cocaine from Colombia every week, he added.

SSP Rana said the accused's network is believed to have ties with notorious drug traffickers, including Amritpal Singh alias Baath and Gurjant Singh Bholu Havelia.

Further investigations are on, he added.