An Indian national working as a truck driver in the United States has been apprehended in Pennsylvania following accusations of transporting nearly $2.86 million (approximately ₹27.5 crore) worth of stolen tungsten oxide powder.
Deepak Kumar, 31, from Fresno, California, is currently in the custody of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as investigations into the alleged theft continue. The valuable shipment, belonging to Mitsubishi Materials Corporation, was scheduled for pickup on June 24 but vanished.
Tracking the Missing Shipment
Authorities initiated a search after company officials lost contact with Kumar and could not determine the shipment's location. Investigators successfully traced the truck using a Flock camera system, an automated license plate recognition network, which led to Kumar's arrest in Pennsylvania.
During his apprehension, Kumar reportedly presented officers with three forms of identification: an invalid work visa, a fraudulent New York State driver's license, and a valid California commercial driver's license (CDL). He was subsequently transferred to McFarland, California, where he remains under ICE custody pending further legal proceedings.
Debate Over CDL Policies
This incident has also brought California's commercial driver's license policies under scrutiny. Reports indicate that Kumar obtained his California CDL because he possessed a valid Employment Authorization Document (EAD), which permits eligible non-citizens to work legally in the U.S.
Critics have voiced concerns about how migrants with temporary federal work authorization can acquire commercial licenses. However, proponents argue that individuals who meet federal eligibility criteria are legally entitled to receive them.
The Value of Tungsten Oxide
Tungsten oxide is a highly sought-after chemical, crucial for manufacturing military armor, kinetic-energy missiles, and high-heat rocket nozzles. It also serves as a core raw material for nearly all high-performance tungsten products, such as tungsten carbide cutting tools used in mining, construction, and machining.
Additionally, tungsten oxide is valued as an advanced anode material for next-generation lithium-ion batteries, enhancing energy density, and acts as a durable catalyst for hydrogen production and solar conversion. The U.S., EU, and other major economies classify tungsten as a critical mineral. Its global production is heavily concentrated, with China managing a significant majority of the supply, leading to frequent market shortages due to export restrictions and rising industrial demand, which drives its commodity value upward.