A 42-year-old Sydney-based man of Indian origin, Gurvindar Singh, stands accused of orchestrating a vast international drug and tobacco smuggling operation that spanned continents, exploiting legitimate freight channels to funnel illicit goods into Australia. The two-year investigation, led by Australia's Multi Agency Strike Team (MAST), has implicated Singh in the import of significant quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine, and illegal cigarettes.
MAST, comprising the NSW Police, Australian Federal Police (AFP), Australian Border Force, NSW Crime Commission, AUSTRAC, the ATO, and other agencies, alleges that Singh masterminded the import of 50 kg of cocaine concealed within cement bags originating from Panama. Additionally, he is accused of importing 280 kg of liquid methamphetamine shipped from Canada and over 20 million illicit cigarettes transported from the United Arab Emirates, utilizing a freight company based in Punchbowl, a suburb in southwestern Sydney.
The investigation gained momentum in August 2024 with the interception of a liquid methamphetamine consignment arriving from Vancouver. Surveillance teams tracked the shipment from port storage to a clandestine cooling and extraction facility in Riverstone, Sydney's northwest, leading to the arrest of two individuals. This breakthrough, according to police, ultimately led to Singh's identification as the suspected ringleader.
Further evidence surfaced in January 2025 when customs officials detected irregularities in a container originating from the UAE. It was discovered that three separate consignments of illegal cigarettes had already been imported through the Punchbowl freight firm allegedly linked to Singh's network. Law enforcement estimates that the illicit cigarette sales alone generated at least AUD for the alleged criminal enterprise.
Singh faces multiple charges, including five counts of importing commercial quantities of controlled drugs and illegal tobacco, as well as offenses related to proceeds of crime and directing a criminal group. If convicted, he could face a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The operation involved the arrest of seven individuals in Australia, including two Canadian nationals of Indian descent: 24-year-old Aman Kang and 31-year-old Mani Singh Dhaliwal. These two were apprehended shortly after Singh's arrest outside a private residence near a police van. The police allege they were recruited by Singh to recover and distribute the cocaine shipment. Both men were denied bail and charged with possessing a commercial quantity of drugs and participating in a criminal group. A seventh suspect was intercepted at Sydney Airport while attempting to board an international flight.
