Indian-origin owners plead guilty of running illegal ops in US motels

Three Indian-origin men in the US have pleaded guilty to owning and managing motels where they ran illegal businesses, including selling drugs and sexual services, and could face a maximum penalty of 20 years behind bars. Jaspal Singh, Kulwinder Saroya and Lakhvir Pawar admitted that they knowingly operated drug-involved premises at their motels in Seattle and profited from the drug activity there. The men have agreed to forfeit the two motels, their home in SeaTac, more than $265,000 seized from their home and bank accounts, US Attorney Jenny Durkan said. All three men will be sentenced by US District Judge John Coughenour in February 2014.