Peel cops’ largest drug bust: 479 kilos of cocaine seized, nine arrested
"This represents a seismic blow to a transnational organized crime that is coming into Peel."
Author of the article:
Article content
Peel Regional Police have made their largest drug seizure ever — 479 kg of cocaine with an estimated street value of $50 million.
The seizure was the culmination of Project Pelican, a year-long drug importation project that started in June 2024 and targeted a group of commercial truckers bringing cocaine through American border points in Michigan and into Canada.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
Peel cops’ largest drug bust: 479 kilos of cocaine seized, nine arrested Back to video
tap here to see other videos from our team.
Peel Regional Police Chief Nish Duraiappah said the accused criminals used commercial truckers “in a well-organized criminal enterprise” that brought cocaine into Canada.
“This represents a seismic blow to a transnational organized crime that is coming into Peel,” Duraiappah said. “What you have before you is 479 kg of cocaine with an estimated street value of almost $50 million.”
“And these drugs came from south of the border (United States) and were destined right here into Peel and the Greater Toronto Area.”
Some of the cellophane plastic wrapped “bricks” on display during Tuesday’s news conference sported makeshift logos such as ‘Dior’ and the ‘Psycho Bunny’ clothing line, a few sported the ‘Chevrolet’ logo, some were marked with an Irish shamrock and Number 7 label while others had names like ‘Rancho10%’ and ‘Pita LA’ written on them with black magic marker — all denoting the producers and packagers of the cocaine.
Peel Regional with the assistance of the Canada Border Services Agency, DEA and U.S. Homeland Security and RCMP helped thwart two major shipments coming into Canada from the U.S. and border crossings in Michigan.
Det.-Sgt. Earl Scott of the Specialized Enforcement Bureau said “information shared with the CBSA led to the arrests of two parties here today at different border crossing.
“In each case, large quantities of drugs were located within the cargo of the commercial trucks they were operating,” Scott added.
The first of two large seizures of drugs occurred on Feb. 11 at the Ambassador Bridge, yielding 127 kg in Windsor. Then, on May 24 at the Blue Water Bridge in Point Edward, near Sarnia, a truck “that was actively involved in smuggling” was found to have 50 kg inside it. Both of the drivers were arrested by CBSA and RCMP.
Peel police say that as of June 6, after several raids were conducted in different jurisdictions in Ontario, nine men have been arrested and charged in connection with the investigation, totalling 35 charges related to firearms and drug offences.
They are Hao Tommy Huynh, 27, of Mississauga; Sajgith Yogendrarajah, 31, of Toronto; Arvinder Powar, 29 and Manpreet Singh, 44, of Brampton; Philip Tep, 39, of Hamilton; Gurtej Singh, 36, and Karamjit Singh, 36, of Caledon; Sartaj Singh, 27, of Cambridge, and Shiv Onkar Singh, 31, of Georgetown.
Two illegal handguns were also seized during Project Pelican.
Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre used the bust as an opportunity to criticize the Liberals’ crime policies.
“Liberal catch-and-release laws mean that 2/3 of the people arrested in this massive drug bust have already been let out on bail,” Poilievre said in a social media post on Tuesday. “Criminals get a free ride and Canadians pay the price.”
“Bring jail, not bail, to stop the crime.”
This is the second largest police seizure of cocaine flooding into the GTA market from the U.S. dating to January.
Toronto Police, during Project Castillo, intercepted 835 kg of cocaine worth an estimated $83 million on the streets that was destined for Toronto and the GTA.
At a January news conference, Toronto Supt. Paul MacIntyre, of the Organized Crime Enforcement unit, said that the drugs originated in Mexico and travelled through the U.S. via transport truck and were linked to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), a Mexican crime syndicate.
“We do believe the cartel is associated to this and we did have some members associated to the cartel overseeing the operation,” MacIntyre said.
That multi-jurisdictional police operation started in August 2024 when somebody tried to distribute cocaine in the GTA “through a shipping company,” MacIntyre said, and it was intercepted when it arrived in Canada with the help of the CBSA and the RCMP Windsor Border Integrity Unit.
One single truck stop by the RCMP and CBSA in Windsor scooped 475 kg of cocaine at the Windsor border.
THE ACCUSED
Hao Tommy Huynh, 27-year-old, Mississauga
Sajgith Yogendrarajah, 31-year-old, Toronto
Manpreet Singh, 44-year-old, Brampton
Philip Tep, 39-year-old, Hamilton
Arvinder Powar, 29-year-old, Brampton
Karamjit Singh, 36-year-old man, Caledon
Gurtej Singh, 36-year-old man, Caledon
Sartaj Singh 27-year-old man, Cambridge
Shiv Onkar Singh, 31-year-old man, Georgetown
RECOMMENDED VIDEO
tap here to see other videos from our team.
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.