A jury in Spokane, Washington has found Jaskaran Singh, a 31-year-old from Gujarat, India, guilty of possession with intent to distribute MDMA. Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced the verdict following the trial presided over by United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice. Singh was apprehended after being linked to a smuggling operation involving more than 170 pounds of MDMA transported across the U.S.-Canada border.
The incident took place on April 29, 2023, when motion sensor cameras detected three individuals crossing into the U.S. from Canada near Danville, Washington. These individuals were seen carrying backpacks and a suitcase containing MDMA. Shortly thereafter, Border Patrol agents stopped Singh driving a rented Honda Odyssey away from the border area where these items were later discovered.
During the investigation, authorities found evidence on Singh’s phone including maps and messages related to the drug drop-off location. Testimony at trial revealed that Singh had traveled from Northern California to Washington State just before the smuggling attempt.
“Mr. Singh trafficked more than 170 pounds of illegal drugs across our northern border into the United States,” said Acting United States Attorney Richard Barker. He emphasized that this significant seizure carried a street value exceeding $7.8 million and highlighted its impact on Eastern Washington communities.
Barker also noted that “the transnational drug trafficking organization for whom Singh worked had identified an ideal location in rural Washington” for their activities but praised law enforcement efforts for intercepting the drugs before they could reach local communities.
David F. Reames from DEA Seattle Field Division commented on international drug traffickers like Mr. Singh profiting by harming citizens with illicit substances and expressed satisfaction in holding such individuals accountable alongside partners in law enforcement.
Jason Liebe of Spokane Sector Border Patrol highlighted their ongoing commitment to safeguarding borders against smuggling activities as demonstrated by this conviction.
The case was investigated collaboratively by multiple agencies including U.S. Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations and is prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Alison L. Gregoire and Dan Fruchter.
Sentencing for Jaskaran Singh is scheduled for June 25, 2025, where he faces up to twenty years imprisonment along with potential removal from the U.S.
