Balbir Singh Dhami faces charges of trying to distribute cocaine out of the U.S. and Canada.

NRI Balbir Singh Dhami Busted For Drug Trafficking

SACRAMENTO, Apr 24, 2008 8:56 pm US/Pacific
Ron Jones (CBS13)

A prominent local businessman busted by the feds. Accused of trafficking drugs from Elk Grove to L.A. to Canada!

The Dhami Trucking Plaza on Stockton Blvd. has been around for 30 years. Feds say the owner may have used it to move cocaine across the country. His family says that's not true. It's a story you'll only see on CBS13.

Cocaine moved by octane and the fed say Balbir Singh Dhami was at the center of it. Dhami is a prominent Elk Grove business man and leader in the Sikh community. He faces charges of trying to distribute cocaine out of the U.S. and Canada.

In this affidavit obtained by CBS13, it says Dhami and several other suspects in Southern California conspired to move almost a million dollars worth of cocaine.

Dhami who owns a successful trucking plaza in Sacramento allegedly supplied drivers and trucks.

His friends and workers didn't want to talk. But in this complaint, Dhami may have talked too much about his role while being wire tapped. It even says one of his drivers on a run to New Mexico somehow lost $800,000 worth of cocaine.

The affidavit says the drug supplier in L.A. demanded compensation as one suspect offered to sell his home to make it right.

When CBS13 visited Dhami's home in Elk Grove, his son said his father is a respectable business and religious man.

"I know my dad. What he's being blamed for in the allegations it's totally against our religion. It's something he's against and wouldn't recommend anyone else to do something like that," explains Aman Dhami.

All the suspects were eventually arrested and are facing federal charges possessing and distributing cocaine.

Dhami's son says his father is expected to bail out next week and will fight those charges.
(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)