Ranjit Singh, a 32-year-old Indian national truck driver, is facing trial in Sarnia, Ontario, for his alleged involvement in a major cross-border cocaine smuggling operation. Singh, who was working in Canada on a work permit, claims he had no knowledge of the illicit cargo hidden in his trailer. However, Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers discovered approximately $2 million worth of cocaine during a routine inspection at the Blue Water Bridge in April 2024.
The Discovery
On April 26, 2024, Singh was returning to Canada after making a delivery in the United States. He had picked up pallets from three different locations before heading to the border. CBSA agents, who had placed a National Targeting Centre notice on Singh's truck, flagged him for a secondary inspection. During the search, officers found two Home Depot boxes that were packed differently from the rest of the load. Inside those boxes were 40 kilograms of cocaine, hidden among a shipment of Harry's razors.
Under Singh's mattress, agents also discovered a flattened unused Home Depot packing box, a duffle bag, and packing tape. RCMP investigator Constable Tai Lam testified that Singh had made a 15-minute stop at an Illinois Home Depot, just four hours before reaching the border. Lam retraced Singh's route with assistance from Homeland Security.
Singh's Defense
Singh's lawyer, Terry Brandon, acknowledged that the truck her client was driving contained cocaine but argued that Singh was unaware of the drugs. She suggested that he may have been an unwitting pawn in a larger operation. Brandon stated, "He had no knowledge of what was in the trailer." The defense is expected to argue that Singh was a victim of a setup, as he was one of several South Asian truckers allegedly recruited by a sophisticated drug trafficking network.
The Broader Network
The case against Singh is part of a larger investigation into a drug smuggling ring allegedly led by Ryan Wedding, a former Canadian Olympian turned suspected drug kingpin. Wedding, who was arrested by U.S. authorities in January 2026, is accused of running a $1 billion drug empire with close ties to Mexican cartels. He allegedly used South Asian criminals as proxies to recruit truck drivers, many of whom were in Canada on work permits.
At the apex of the scheme was Guramrit Sidhu, a 62-year-old Brampton trucking executive nicknamed "The King." Sidhu pleaded guilty in a Los Angeles courtroom in March 2026 to orchestrating the logistics of the cross-border smuggling. He admitted to his role in the enterprise and is awaiting sentencing.
Impact on Border Security
The scale of the smuggling operation has been staggering. In 2024 alone, CBSA seized approximately $75 million worth of cocaine at Southern Ontario border crossings, including the Blue Water Bridge and the Ambassador Bridge. The amount increased again in 2025, highlighting the ongoing challenge of drug trafficking at the Canada-U.S. border.
Singh is charged with importing cocaine into Canada and possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. None of the charges have been proven in court. His trial is expected to last three weeks, and he is one of many individuals charged in connection with the network. Smaller fish have already been incarcerated, while many others await trial.
As the case unfolds, it sheds light on the sophisticated methods used by drug traffickers to exploit the trucking industry and the efforts of law enforcement to combat the flow of illegal drugs across the border.
