BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr, announced today that Gursharan Singh, 33, of Brompton, Ontario, Canada, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, five kilograms or more of cocaine, before U.S. District Judge Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny. The charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $10,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Lynch, who is handling the case, stated that between 2007 and May 2011, Gursharan conspired with others to smuggle cocaine into Canada from the United States via several international bridges located including ones in the Buffalo-Niagara region. Investigators believe that this organization trafficked approximately 2,000 kilograms of cocaine (approximately $80,000,000 in value) during the course of the conspiracy.
Singh was indicted along with Alvin Randhawa and Harinder Dhaliwal who are still facing charges. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Also charged in the conspiracy were Ravinder Arora, Michael Bagri and Parminder Sidhu. All three defendants have been convicted.
Dhaliwal pleaded not guilty at his arraignment and is being detained pending trial. Extradition proceedings are underway to bring Alvin Randhawa and Gursharan Singh, who are also in Canada, to the Western District of New York.
Today’s plea is the result of an investigation by Special Agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero, Officers from the United States Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Rose Hilmey, Acting Director of Field Operations, the Peel Regional Police Department, under the direction of Chief Jennifer Evans, the Canada Border Services Agency, under the direction of Rick Comerford, Regional Director General, Southern Ontario Region and the Toronto Police, under the direction of Chief William Blair.
Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 16, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. before Judge Skretny.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
