New Zealand’s recent major drug bust has brought attention to Baltej Singh, the nephew of Satwant Singh, one of the bodyguards involved in the 1984 assassination of former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Baltej Singh has been identified as the key figure in this record-breaking drug seizure, as reported by New Zealand’s largest news organization, Stuff.
This revelation, made public on March 28, marks the first time a New Zealand media outlet has named Baltej Singh, following his choice to waive long-standing legal protections that had shielded his identity. Initially shielded under New Zealand’s strict name suppression laws, Singh’s identity was already disclosed by international media outlets like Indian publications and Canada’s CTV News.
The investigation by New Zealand authorities began after a fatal incident on March 2, 2023, involving the death of a 21-year-old who had consumed liquid methamphetamine hidden in beverage cans labeled ‘Honey Bear Beer’. This tragic event led to the discovery of approximately 700 kilograms of liquid methamphetamine in a storage facility in Auckland, the largest seizure of its kind in New Zealand’s history.
Authorities uncovered a sophisticated drug operation involving the concealment of drugs within everyday imports like kombucha from the United States, coconut water from India, and beer cans from Canada. This discovery prompted a large-scale investigation named “Project Lavender,” culminating in the arrest of Baltej Singh at Auckland Airport as he tried to flee to Dubai on the same day. Singh was later convicted and sentenced to 22 years in prison for drug-related charges.
