ST. CLAIR COUNTY, MICHIGAN — A truck driver with no prior criminal record was sentenced to two years in federal prison after attempting to smuggle what he believed was tobacco across the Canadian border, only for authorities to discover his trailer contained $1 million worth of methamphetamine.

The sentence was handed down on February 24, 2026, for an incident that occurred in September 2025. According to the Detroit Free Press, Syed Shah agreed to meet another truck driver, Navjot Singh, at a gas station in Memphis, Michigan, to pick up what Singh described as Shisha tobacco that may not be legal to transport. Shah agreed to haul the cargo for a fee to help cover his mortgage and a business loan he was struggling to repay.

Law enforcement followed Shah to the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron, where he was stopped at the border crossing. A drug-detection dog alerted to contraband inside the trailer, and officers discovered approximately $1 million in methamphetamine. Shah never received any payment for the transport. Singh has not yet been charged in connection with the incident.

The federal judge took into account that Shah was unaware of the type or quantity of drugs placed in his truck. Shah, a father of three young children who holds a master's degree in English, had no prior criminal history.

"The federal judge carefully considered that Mr. Shah did not know the type or the quantity of drugs that were placed in his truck. He accepted responsibility for attempting to transport what he believed was a tobacco product," said Shah's attorney, Sanford Schulman. "This case highlights the efforts high-ranking drug dealers will go to find unsuspecting truckers to carry packages across an international border that they themselves would never attempt. Mr. Shah never received any compensation. He is a father of three young children, no criminal history and he received a master's degree in English while residing in Canada. He was literally involved for less than one hour and his poor decision to allow the transport of the items in his truck has deeply impacted his family."

Schulman added that Shah represented the lowest level of involvement in the drug trafficking chain. "In the scheme of drug trafficking, Syed represents the lowest hanging fruit. Like many 'mules' in the drug trade, Syed knows little about the intricate details of the drug trade. This was, of course, intentional. His job was simply to drive and take directions."

Shah will serve two years in prison.

All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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