California pizza joint allegedly used as meth distribution hub as illegal immigrant charged

Round‑Table Pizza in Dinuba Linked to Meth Operation, Federal Indictment Reveals

A federal indictment filed this week alleges that a Dinuba, California, pizza restaurant was being used to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine. Kawal Preet Singh, a 50‑year‑old Indian national who has been living in the United States without legal status, faces charges that could keep him behind bars for more than a decade.

The Indictment

On Thursday, federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of California charged Singh with:

• Distribution of methamphetamine
• Possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
• Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime

The indictment says Singh operated a Round Table Pizza franchise located in Dinuba, a Tulare County city about 30 miles southeast of Fresno. According to the charges, he used the pizza shop as a front to sell “massive quantities” of meth.

What Was Found

Federal agents searched Singh’s home and the Dinuba restaurant on August 18 as part of a broader investigation into alleged Indian organized crime in the Central Valley. The raid yielded:

• Roughly 13.8 kilograms (about 30 pounds) of suspected methamphetamine at Singh’s residence
• An additional 4.9 kilograms (about 11 pounds) packed into five clear plastic bags inside Singh’s Hyundai Sonata, parked in front of the restaurant
• A semi‑automatic handgun and $11,800 in cash

The Justice Department released photographs showing two handguns—one with a teal‑colored frame—along with the plastic bags that contained the crystalline drug.

Singh’s arraignment on Thursday saw him plead not guilty. He is not in custody and is expected to appear at his next hearing on November 4.

The Restaurant’s Position

Round Table Pizza’s parent company, FAT Brands, released a statement through Erin Mandzik, its senior director of corporate communications. Mandzik said the Dinuba location was independently owned and operated, and that the local owners had no knowledge of any illegal activity before the investigation began. The owners were also said to be “fully cooperating with authorities.”

The restaurant’s Google listing now indicates that the Dinuba location has permanently closed.

How the Investigation Began

The federal investigation originated from a May tip about a suspected narcotics trafficker operating in Fresno. Subsequent information identified a “Sikh Indian” man known by the nickname “Camy,” described in an FBI affidavit as a long‑haul trucker who was part of a network transporting large amounts of cocaine from Mexico. While Singh has not been charged with cocaine‑related crimes, the Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force identified him as a subject of the investigation.

According to the indictment, investigators found evidence that the trucking network moved hundreds of kilograms of cocaine for a Mexican cartel. Singh allegedly told investigators he had not sold meth in the past two months and claimed he was storing the drugs for a friend, a statement the federal prosecutors say was part of the narrative that led to his indictment.

Potential Consequences

If convicted, Singh faces at least ten years in federal prison on the drug charges. The firearm charge could add an additional five years. The total potential sentence could therefore exceed fifteen years.

Prosecutors have emphasized that the charges remain allegations, and Singh is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Broader Context

The Dinuba case is one of several recent federal operations targeting drug trafficking in California’s Central Valley. Similar busts in the region have seized large quantities of meth, fentanyl, cocaine, and firearms from individuals and networks believed to be connected to organized crime groups.

As the investigation continues, authorities are examining whether the restaurant’s business practices were complicit or simply used as a front. Meanwhile, the Dinuba community, and the local pizza‑shop owners, await the outcome of the pending federal proceedings.