Project Pelican: $50 Million Drug Bust Uncovers ISI-Khalistani Nexus In Canada, 7 South Asians Arrested
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Top intelligence sources say the proceeds from these drug cartel activities finance anti-India initiatives, including protests and referendums.
Seven South Asians, including several Sikhs, supported by ISI and Khalistani networks, have been arrested in Ontario, Canada. This arrest follows Peel Police's largest drug bust, seizing approximately $50 million worth of cocaine under the investigation titled Project Pelican.
Project Pelican has unveiled a sophisticated transnational drug network with direct connections to ISI-backed Khalistani operatives in Canada. According to top Indian intelligence sources, this network represents a significant threat to North American security and India-Canada relations due to its involvement in drug trafficking, political lobbying, and terror funding.
Peel Regional Police seized 479 kilograms of cocaine valued at $47.9 million and arrested nine individuals, including several of Punjabi origin. The drugs were smuggled from Mexico through US commercial trucking routes into Ontario, taking advantage of cross-border logistics. Critical interceptions occurred at the Ambassador Bridge (Windsor) and the Blue Water Bridge (Sarnia). Collaboration with US Homeland Security, the DEA, and the RCMP indicated connections to Mexican cartels and US-based distributors, prompting further investigations.
A media release from Peel Regional Police stated that, with national and international partners, they had dismantled a transnational organised criminal network trafficking illicit drugs into the Greater Toronto Area.
As of June 6, the following individuals have been arrested and charged in connection with the investigation, facing 35 charges related to firearm and drug offences:
Intelligence sources highlight an ISI blueprint within this cartel, with ISI funding Khalistani groups in Canada to traffic Afghan heroin and Mexican cocaine. The proceeds from these activities finance anti-India initiatives, including protests and referendums. Groups such as the International Sikh Federation dominate the drug operations, collaborating with cartels to import heroin via Punjab and export refined drugs like cocaine and ICE to India.
Khalistani elements have also infiltrated Canadian political circles, including the Liberal Party. ISI agents like Bilal Cheema are alleged to have financed politicians, while Khalistani leaders exploit immigration schemes to extort students for anti-India propaganda, say sources. This connection has been directly linked to Project Pelican, initiated by law enforcement agencies.
Punjabi gangs with Khalistani ties control cross-border trucking in Canada, a vital channel for Project Pelican's drug seizures, sources suggest. These drugs move through routes connected to Punjabi-dominated logistics hubs in Peel. In a similar case in Toronto in 2021, Punjabi-origin gangsters were found smuggling cocaine via Mexico-US-Canada routes, showcasing patterns akin to Project Pelican.
Project Pelican's $47.9 million seizure indicates a potential financing channel for Khalistani activities. Intelligence sources confirm that drug profits are used to fund weapons, propaganda, and ISI-backed operations.
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