A drug-running operation busted in New Zealand, in 2023, took a new turn on March 28, 2026 when the mastermind behind it decided to withdraw his appeal for name suppression in country’s Supreme Court.
Three years ago, Baltej Singh was arrested at Auckland International Airport, while boarding a flight to Dubai. The police recovered $10,390.20 in cash from him. On further investigations, they found something bigger as they recovered over 700 kgs of methamphetamine drug belonging to the Indian-origin man.
He was arrested and after admission of the charges, Baltej was sentenced to 22 years in jail. However, the former businessman, had appealed to New Zealand’s high court that his identity should not be revealed as it posed a threat to his and his family’s life.
The reason Baltej appealed for name suppression is that he is nephew of Satwant Singh, one of the bodyguards responsible for the killing of India’s former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1984, according to a report by stuff.co.nz. His identity was kept suppressed for several years but can now be reported following the conclusion of the court proceedings.
In an affidavit submitted to the court, Baltej’s father said the assassination had left the family ‘notorious’ among Sikhs and Hindus worldwide, exposing them to ongoing violence, threats, and intimidation, according to the report.
The high court had earlier granted Baltej’s request to keep his identity confidential. However, the Crown challenged this decision, with prosecutors arguing that his identity had already been reported internationally and that anyone intent on harming him or his family would likely already know who he was.
The Court of Appeal upheld the Crown’s position, stating that there was a clear public interest in identifying a person responsible for offences of such magnitude. The judges ruled that this public interest outweighed what they described as a very low risk of harm to Baltej’s family.
Baltej initially sought to challenge the ruling in the Supreme Court but later withdrew his appeal.
How was he caught?
Baltej and his associate, Himatjit ‘Jimmy’ Singh Khalon, were running a drug operation in New Zealand. They imported around 700 kg of drugs from India, the UAE, Canada, and Tauranga between 2021 and 2022. The consignment was stored at a rented property in Auckland.
Khalon was later arrested and charged in connection with the death of 21-year-old Aidan Sagala, who unknowingly consumed methamphetamine-laced beer in March 2023. He was subsequently convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 21 years in prison.
Police soon tracked down Baltej, who was arrested at the airport.
A search of his storage unit in Auckland revealed a sophisticated concealment operation. Authorities found cans of coconut water, bottles of kombucha, and thousands of cans of ‘Honey Bear’ beer that appeared to be ordinary consumer products. However, the containers were in fact used to smuggle methamphetamine.
