Indian Man Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in Federal Prison for Smuggling Almost $8 Million Worth of Drugs into the United States
Stopped With 174 Pounds of MDMA in Vehicle
Seized MDMA - 174 pounds found in the vehicle driven by Jaskaran Singh.
SPOKANE, Wash. – On August 29, 2025, United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Jaskaran Singh, 31, of Punjab, India, to more than 17 years in federal prison for possessing with intent to distribute almost $8 million worth of the drug MDMA, commonly known as “Molly.” Singh was in the United States after successfully seeking asylum, and faces removal from the United States after completing his prison term.
Earlier this year, a federal jury unanimously found Singh guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The evidence presented at trial showed that on April 29, 2023, at approximately 10:00 p.m., three individuals tripped motion sensor cameras in a remote area just south of the U.S.-Canada border, a half-mile away from the port of entry at Danville, Washington. United States Border Patrol officials saw that these individuals, who had illegally crossed into the United States from Canada, were carrying backpacks and a suitcase. From the American side of the border, the only route in or out of this area is a dead-end, dirt road called Fourth of July Creek Road.
Minutes later, Border Patrol officers saw a 2014 Honda Odyssey traveling on Fourth of July Creek Road. Agents responded to the area and stopped Singh, who was driving the rented Honda Odyssey away from the border and further into the United States.
Border Patrol agents saw in the rear cargo area of the Honda Odyssey the same backpacks and suitcases that the three individuals – who tripped the motion sensor cameras just a few minutes earlier – had been carrying. Agents lawfully searched the van and seized 173.7 pounds of MDMA, which was packaged and stored inside the backpacks and suitcase. On Singh’s cellular phone, investigators found a map of the area, along with messages on the encrypted phone application Signal detailing where Singh should go, when he should arrive, and directing him to “leave the back hood open.” Singh had deleted the Signal app from his phone immediately before he was arrested, but federal forensic investigators using cutting-edge technology were able to locate, retrieve, and preserve the messages so the jury could see them.
Jurors learned during trial that the three individuals who carried the MDMA across the border into the United States had to traverse approximately 300 yards of remote, rugged wilderness to meet Singh to deliver the drugs. They then returned to the Canadian side of the border, escaping apprehension by American law enforcement. Singh, for his part, bought a plane ticket in Northern California the day before the drug deal, flew to Seattle, and then rented the Honda Odyssey to drive to the remote area where he picked up the MDMA to further distribute it into the United States.
United States Attorney Pete Serrano noted the collaborative approach that brought Singh to justice: “This case is significant in so many respects, from the removal of this significant quantity of drugs from our streets, to the seamless cooperation of our federal partners at the northern border. I’m proud of our team and am grateful for the outcome of this case.”
“The DEA, along with our partners at the Border Patrol and HSI, take the territorial integrity of the United States very seriously,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Seattle Field Division. “We aggressively investigate traffickers like Mr. Singh who, out of greed, smuggle dangerous drugs into the United States from Canada or anywhere else. This lengthy sentence holds Mr. Singh accountable and stands as a warning to others that we will not tolerate drug traffickers abusing our free society.”
Jason C. Liebe, the Chief Patrol Agent for the Border Patrol Spokane Sector, concurred: “U.S. Border Patrol agents work tirelessly every day to protect America and her borders from national security threats, no matter how they present themselves. This joint investigation and successful prosecution demonstrate the power of collaboration among federal agencies. When we combine our resources, we achieve the successful resolution of criminal cases that make our communities safer and stronger for all Americans.”
This case was investigated by the United States Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Alison L. Gregoire and Dan Fruchter.
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