<p>An Indian national has been arrested for smuggling about 3,346 pounds of marijuana worth approximately $5 million into the US from Canada, a US attorney said on Tuesday.</p>.<p>Arrested on charges of importing and possessing with intent to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana, Gurpreet Singh, 30, faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum of a life sentence on being convicted.</p>.<p>Singh was arrested driving a commercial truck on the Peace Bridge from Canada to the US at Niagara Falls in the upstate New York.</p>.<p>A commercial truck carrying 22 skids of peat moss and bearing Ontario, Canada license plates attempted to enter the United States at the Peace Bridge Port of Entry.</p>.<p>During primary inspection, Singh told a CBP Officer that he was transporting the peat moss to Orange, Virginia, the federal complaint said.</p>.<p>During the secondary examination, officers observed five pallets of peat moss packaged in large white plastic positioned at the rear of the trailer.</p>.<p>Behind the pallets were 58 large cardboard boxes in the middle of the trailer. Behind the boxes were 14 additional pallets of peat moss.</p>.<p>"Inspection of the cardboard boxes revealed thousands of vacuum-sealed bags containing suspected marijuana. The total weight of the suspected marijuana was approximately 3,346.35 pounds, with an approximate value of $5,000,000," the official statement said.</p>.<p>In less than a week, this was the second arrest of an Indian truck driver trying to smuggle marijuana into the US.</p>.<p>"Despite the current travel restrictions at our international crossings, the criminal element has not curtailed their efforts to profit from illicit drug trafficking," said US Attorney James P Kennedy.</p>.<p>Singh made an initial appearance before US Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J McCarthy and is being detained pending a detention hearing on June Wednesday.</p>
<p>An Indian national has been arrested for smuggling about 3,346 pounds of marijuana worth approximately $5 million into the US from Canada, a US attorney said on Tuesday.</p>.<p>Arrested on charges of importing and possessing with intent to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana, Gurpreet Singh, 30, faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum of a life sentence on being convicted.</p>.<p>Singh was arrested driving a commercial truck on the Peace Bridge from Canada to the US at Niagara Falls in the upstate New York.</p>.<p>A commercial truck carrying 22 skids of peat moss and bearing Ontario, Canada license plates attempted to enter the United States at the Peace Bridge Port of Entry.</p>.<p>During primary inspection, Singh told a CBP Officer that he was transporting the peat moss to Orange, Virginia, the federal complaint said.</p>.<p>During the secondary examination, officers observed five pallets of peat moss packaged in large white plastic positioned at the rear of the trailer.</p>.<p>Behind the pallets were 58 large cardboard boxes in the middle of the trailer. Behind the boxes were 14 additional pallets of peat moss.</p>.<p>"Inspection of the cardboard boxes revealed thousands of vacuum-sealed bags containing suspected marijuana. The total weight of the suspected marijuana was approximately 3,346.35 pounds, with an approximate value of $5,000,000," the official statement said.</p>.<p>In less than a week, this was the second arrest of an Indian truck driver trying to smuggle marijuana into the US.</p>.<p>"Despite the current travel restrictions at our international crossings, the criminal element has not curtailed their efforts to profit from illicit drug trafficking," said US Attorney James P Kennedy.</p>.<p>Singh made an initial appearance before US Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J McCarthy and is being detained pending a detention hearing on June Wednesday.</p>