A California pizza shop has gone belly-up after federal agents allegedly uncovered a 40-pound meth operation involving an Indian national prosecutors say was illegally in the US.
uncertain
prosecutors → go → US
Kawal Preet Singh, 50, was indicted on federal charges of distributing methamphetamine, possessing meth with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
asserted
Singh → indict → crime
Singh was arraigned Thursday and pleaded not guilty.
asserted
Singh → arraign → ?
The Dinuba Round Table Pizza tied to the case is now permanently closed.
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Pizza → tie → case
“The employee involved in the reported incident had worked at this location for approximately one and a half months,” the company told GV Wire in announcing the shuttering.
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company → involve → shuttering
Erin Mandzik, senior director of corporate communications for Fat Brands, the parent company of Round Table Pizza, said the restaurant was independently owned and operated, that local ownership had no knowledge of the alleged illegal activity before it came to light and that the owners are fully cooperating with authorities, according to The Fresno Bee.
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owners → say → Bee
Federal agents searched the restaurant and Singh’s home Aug. 18, according to court documents, and allegedly seized more than 40 pounds of suspected meth, three firearms and more than $10,000 in cash.
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agents → search → cash
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Sign → sign → inbox
At Singh’s residence, agents allegedly found 13.8 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine.
uncertain
agents → find → methamphetamine
Another roughly 4.9 kilograms was allegedly stuffed into five clear plastic bags inside his Hyundai Sonata, which was parked at the Tulare restaurant.
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which → stuff → restaurant
A semiautomatic handgun and $11,800 in cash were also seized.
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handgun → seize → cash
The investigation began with a May tip about a narcotics trafficker allegedly operating in Fresno and selling and distributing controlled substances.
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trafficker → begin → substances
The Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force later identified Singh as a subject of the investigation, according to the FBI.
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Force → identify → FBI
The indictment says investigators developed evidence that a network of Sikh Indian truck drivers transported hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from Mexico into the United States on behalf of an unspecified Mexican cartel, the Fresno Bee reported.
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Bee → say → cartel
“The information identified the narcotics trafficker as ‘Camy’ and described him as a Sikh Indian male involved in long-haul truck driving,” the FBI stated in the indictment.
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FBI → identify → indictment
“The suspect worked with a network of other Sikh Indian truck drivers to transport narcotics.”
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suspect → work → narcotics
Search warrants signed Aug. 13 by US Magistrate Judge Erica P. Grosjean covered Singh, his Dinuba business and his residence.
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warrants → sign → Singh
Five days later, agents surveilled Singh before approaching him after he drove from the restaurant to his home.
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he → surveille → home
Investigators simultaneously executed the search warrants at the Round Table Pizza.
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Investigators → execute → Pizza
Singh allegedly told agents he had not sold methamphetamine for approximately two months but was storing it for a friend.
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he → tell → friend
The case now heads toward a Nov. 4 status conference before Magistrate Judge Boone — with Singh still not in custody.
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Singh → head → custody
If convicted, Singh faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, plus a fine of up to $10 million, for drug trafficking.
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Singh → convict → trafficking
The firearm charge carries another mandatory minimum of five years consecutive to any other sentence, with a maximum of life in prison.
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charge → carry → prison
The Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force lidentified Singh.
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Force → lidentifie → Singh
Google
Singh sold wholesale quantities of methamphetamine from a Round Table Pizza restaurant.
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Singh → sell → restaurant
justice.gov/
Kawal Preet Singh, 50, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Resno, Calif.
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Singh → indict → Resno
justice.gov/
The case now heads toward a Nov. 4 status conference.
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case → head → conference
Google
Federal agents searched the restaurant and Singh’s residence on Aug. 18.
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agents → search → Aug.
The Aporia
