The U.S. Attorney’s Office has filed charges against an Indian national for alleged wholesale drug distribution in the Fresno area.
U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced that a federal grand jury on Thursday returned an indictment against Kawal Preet Singh, 50, who was unlawfully present in the United States. Additionally, Singh faces charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
If convicted, Singh faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, along with a fine of up to $10 million, for drug trafficking. “The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
According to the U.S. Attorney office, Singh was arraigned Thursday and pleaded not guilty. There is a status conference set for Nov. 4 before Magistrate Judge Boone. Singh is not in custody.
FBI Fresno filed an indictment against Singh on Aug. 18, revealing that special agents received a tip in May regarding a narcotics trafficker operating in Fresno allegedly involved in the sale and distribution of controlled substances.
“The information identified the narcotics trafficker as ‘Camy’ and described him as a Sikh Indian male involved in long-haul truck driving,” the FBI stated in the indictment. “The suspect worked with a network of other Sikh Indian truck drivers to transport narcotics.”
Subsequently, the Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force identified Singh as a subject of the investigation, according to the FBI.
The 10-page FBI indictment revealed investigators developed evidence that the network of Sikh Indian truck drivers transported hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from Mexico into the United States on behalf of an unspecified Mexican cartel.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Erica P. Grosjean signed search warrants on Aug. 13 for Singh, business — Round Table Pizza restaurant in Dinuba, and his residence.
After five days, the special agents conducted physical surveillance at the restaurant and Singh’s residence on Aug. 18. The agents observed Singh enter a Hyundai Sonata and drive away from his restaurant and arrive at the home, where he was approached by agents. At the same time, the investigative team executed the search warrants at the first location, Round Table Pizza.
Feds executed the search warrants and seized Singh’s iPhone. According to the indictment, Singh told agents he had not sold methamphetamine for approximately two months, but was storing it for a friend.
During a search of Singh’s residence, agents located 13.8 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine. Investigators also found approximately 4.9 kilograms of methamphetamine in five clear plastic bags inside Singh’s Hyundai parked at the Tulare restaurant, according to the indictment.
The agents also seized a semiautomatic handgun and $11,800 in cash.
The FBI has been investigating Indian organized gangs operating in California’s Central Valley since February 2025. The agency received intelligence that individuals associated with Indian organized crime were involved in various criminal activities, including large-scale drug trafficking connected to Mexican cartels, extortion and human trafficking.
Around two months ago, FBI Los Angeles also arrested 24 suspects — 11 of them in California — connected to three India-based transnational organized crime groups.
Under “Operation Hard Ball,” federal authorities charged 37 suspects, including Lawrence Bishnoi, one of India’s most wanted gangsters, and Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, another prominent North Indian gangster. Both men ran global criminal syndicates while imprisoned in India, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
According to the Justice Department, the Bishnoi and Bhagwanpuria gangs helped fund their activities through international drug trafficking and stealing drug shipments from rival gangs. “From March 2024 to July 2025, the Bishnoi enterprise stole a total of approximately 520 kilograms of cocaine in the greater Los Angeles area from rival drug trafficking gangs,” officials said in July.
Fat Brands, parent company of Round Table Pizza, said in a written statement that the Dinuba location is permanently closed. “The employee involved in the reported incident had worked at the restaurant for about a month and a half,” said Erin Mandzik, senior director of corporate communications.
Mandzik said the location is independently owned and operated, and added that local ownership had no knowledge of the alleged illegal activity prior to it coming to light and is fully cooperating with authorities as the matter is investigated.
This story was originally published September 4, 2026 at 5:33 AM.
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Gagandeep Singh is a service journalism reporter for The Fresno Bee. He holds a master’s degree in politics and global affairs from Columbia University. Prior to working at The Bee, he worked as a freelancer for CalMatters, BBC News and the Los Angeles Times. He focuses on migration, education, criminal justice and the South Asian diaspora in California.