TARN TARAN, March 11– In a major breakthrough, Tarn Taran police arrested druglord Shehnaaz Singh, also known as Shawn Bhinder, from Ludhiana.
A native of Mandiala village in Batala, Bhinder had been living in Brampton, Canada, and was wanted by US agencies, including the FBI, in connection with a massive drug seizure on February 26.
Bhinder fled to India after US authorities cracked down on his syndicate.
His name surfaced during the interrogation of five accomplices arrested in the seizure of 391 kg of methamphetamine (ICE) and 109 kg of cocaine.
Authorities also recovered four sophisticated weapons and several vehicles from the suspects.
DIG Ferozepur Range Swapan Sharma said Bhinder played a key role in a global narcotics syndicate smuggling cocaine and other drugs from Colombia into the US and Canada. “After escaping to India, he was tracked down and arrested in Ludhiana,” Sharma said.
Bhinder was also wanted in an Arms Act case registered in December 2024, linked to the Jaggu Bhagwanpuria and Amritpal Batth gang. Tarn Taran SSP Abhimanyu Rana said investigations revealed Bhinder used trucks and trailers to transport large drug consignments across international borders.
Operating a transportation business in Canada since 2014, Bhinder allegedly moved drugs from Colombia to the US and Canada via Mexico under the guise of legitimate cargo shipments.
“He and his associates were smuggling approximately 600 kg of cocaine from Colombia every week,” Rana said, adding that Bhinder’s network had links with notorious traffickers Amritpal Singh ‘Baath’ and Gurjant Singh Bholu Havelia.
