Canada Police claim record drug bust, seize 479 kg of drugs; 6 Punjabis among accused
In the largest drug seizure in its history, the police in Canada's Peel said they have dismantled a transnational cocaine trafficking ring that was smuggling bricks of the illicit drug into the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) through commercial trucks crossing from the US.
The Peel police arrested nine men, who now face 35 charges after nearly half a tonne of cocaine worth $47.9 million and two loaded semi-automatic firearms were seized from them. The accused — aged 27 to 44 and hailing from Mississauga, Brampton, Toronto, Caledon, Hamilton, Georgetown, and Cambridge — were held for a bail hearing at the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton.
The arrested men have been identified Hao Tommy Huynh, 27, from Mississauga; Sajgith Yogendrarajah, 31, from Toronto; Manpreet Singh, 44, from Brampton; Philip Tep, 39, from Hamilton; Arvinder Powar, 29, from Brampton; Karamjit Singh and Gurtej Singh, both 36 and residents of Caledon, Sartaj Singh, 27, from Cambridge, and Georgetown resident Shiv Onkar Singh, 31.
Codenamed Project Pelican, the investigation began in June 2024, and officers found out about a sophisticated operation exploiting commercial transport routes from the United States into Canada. With assistance from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), US Homeland Security, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), the Peel police traced the syndicate across borders and cities.
The police said that the first major breakthrough came on February 11, when a commercial truck crossing into Windsor, Ontario, from Michigan was intercepted at the Ambassador Bridge. CBSA officers found 127 kilogram of cocaine hidden in the trailer. A second seizure occurred at Blue Water Bridge near Sarnia, uncovering 50 kg more.
Subsequent raids across GTA linked to the same operation led to further seizures, including drugs and firearms. In total, police seized 479 kilograms of cocaine, much of it tightly packed into 'bricks', as well as two illegally loaded semi-automatic handguns.
'This seizure marks the largest drug seizure in the history of our service. Organised crime continues to exploit borders and pose serious threats to public safety. However, we remain firmly committed to working with our partners to protect our communities and enhance safety in our region and beyond,' said Peel police Chief Nishan Duraiappah.
Ontario Solicitor General Michael Kerzner lauded the takedown. 'Project Pelican is proof of what police can accomplish when they have the tools and resources needed to keep our communities safe. This historic seizure sends a clear message to organised crime: you will find no safe haven in Ontario.'
Michael Prosia, Regional Director General, CBSA (Southern Ontario division), added, 'These significant seizures and arrests demonstrate the strength of our collaboration with law enforcement partners on both sides of the border. Together, we are committed to dismantling organised crime groups and keeping harmful drugs out of our communities.'
The operation was supported through funding from the Ontario Government's Guns, Gangs and Violence Reduction Strategy, and Criminal Intelligence Service Ontario.
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