Federal prosecutors have charged a California restaurant operator after agents seized more than 40 pounds of methamphetamine from his residence and Hyundai Sonata, according to a federal affidavit. The searches also uncovered three firearms, a digital scale and $11,800 in cash. The case grew out of a broader organized crime investigation involving long-haul truck drivers.

A federal grand jury indicted Kawal Preet Singh, 50, on Sept. 3. Prosecutors charged him with methamphetamine distribution, possession with intent to distribute, and carrying a firearm during drug trafficking. Singh operated a Round Table Pizza restaurant in Dinuba, California. Authorities allege he distributed wholesale quantities of the drug from that business while carrying illegal weapons.

Trucking network moved cocaine across borders

The FBI's Fresno Resident Agency opened its organized crime investigation in February 2025. Intelligence connected suspected participants to drug trafficking, extortion, human trafficking and cargo theft. During May 2026, agents received information about a Fresno-area narcotics trafficker known as "Camy." An informant described Camy as a Sikh Indian man involved in long-haul trucking.

The source claimed Camy worked with other Sikh Indian drivers who transported narcotics. Investigators later developed evidence concerning hundreds of kilograms of cocaine entering the United States from Mexico. The affidavit attributes those shipments to an unspecified Mexican cartel. Some loads reportedly continued through the United States before reaching Canada. That routing mirrors a longstanding pattern federal authorities have documented: criminal organizations exploit legitimate cross-border freight activity to move drugs, stolen cargo and trafficking victims, blending illicit shipments into the tens of thousands of commercial vehicles that cross US land borders each day.

Court records identify Singh as a subject within that broader inquiry. However, the affidavit never explicitly identifies Singh as Camy, and it does not accuse him of personally hauling cocaine aboard commercial vehicles. Authorities disclosed no carriers, drivers, USDOT numbers, routes or border crossings. For carriers and logistics professionals, that gap matters: cases like this one show how investigations can reach into otherwise routine freight operations, and vetting of drivers, routes and counterparties remains a core compliance concern even when no carrier is ultimately implicated.

Searches uncover methamphetamine and firearms

A federal magistrate authorized searches involving Singh, his home and restaurant on Aug. 13. Agents watched him drive from his residence to the Dinuba business five days later. They approached after he unlocked the entrance and entered alone. Investigators then executed warrants at both locations around 11 a.m.

Agents seized Singh's iPhone before interviewing him inside the restaurant. According to the affidavit, he acknowledged storing methamphetamine for a friend "because of friendship" and claimed he had not sold the drug for approximately two months. Investigators later found a photograph on his device showing a white crystalline substance.

The residence contained approximately 13.8 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine, court records show. His Hyundai held another 4.9 kilograms that produced a positive presumptive result. The combined weight reached approximately 18.7 kilograms, or more than 41 pounds. Agents found similarly packaged substances across the searched locations.

Investigators recovered two concealed handguns from the restaurant, including one unserialized weapon. The residence contained an Accu-Tek semiautomatic pistol, a digital scale and $11,800 in assorted denominations. Authorities found the cash and that firearm hidden inside clothing in a closet near three bags of methamphetamine. An HSI agent described those circumstances as consistent with bulk narcotics distribution. A grand jury later returned three counts stemming from the inquiry.

Major questions remain unanswered

The government has not identified Camy or explained Singh's possible connection to that person. Officials also withheld the suspected cartel's name, participating carrier details and shipment routes. Court filings do not disclose whether agents searched or seized any commercial trucks, and the records contain no identified cargo theft victims, trafficking survivors or related charges. Those unanswered questions leave open how far the alleged network extended into licensed motor carriers and whether additional charges or enforcement actions against transportation participants will follow as the case proceeds.

Singh faces at least 10 years and potentially life imprisonment on any drug conviction. The firearm count carries an additional consecutive term of between five years and life. A judge released him on Aug. 24 under home detention, location monitoring and other conditions. Federal law presumes Singh innocent unless prosecutors prove every charge beyond a reasonable doubt.

FreightWaves contacted federal authorities, Singh's attorney and Round Table Pizza for comment. This story will be updated if responses arrive.