New Delhi: Six Indian-origin men have been arrested by the Canadian police in Ontario over cocaine smuggling and possession of arms following a year-long probe which led to a seizure of 479 kg of cocaine bricks worth USD 47.9 million.
“This seizure marks the largest drug seizure in the history of our service,” said Nishan Duraiappah, chief of the Peel Regional Police, which is handling the case. Duraiappah said organised drug trafficking networks exploit borders and flood Canadian communities with drugs from the US.
These arrests come amid Canadian authorities’ crackdown on international drug trafficking networks. This isn’t the first instance of people of Indian-origin being arrested in such cases in Canada.
In November last year, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) arrested Indian-origin Gaganpreet Randhawa in what was termed the ‘largest’ drug lab bust. The RCMP had called it a takedown of the “largest and most sophisticated fentanyl and methamphetamine drug superlab in Canada”.
The same month, another Indian-origin man in Surrey, Gurvarun Matharu, was arrested over charges of trafficking 50 kilograms of cocaine.
In another instance, two Indian origin people, identified as Swati Narula and Kunwardeep Singh, were charged this February, under Canada’s Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, with possessing fentanyl for the purpose of trafficking. It was found that the duo had hid the fentanyl under their vehicle’s spare tyre.
Fentanyl is considered a highly addictive synthetic opioid, 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine.
The United States imposed tariffs on imports from Canada, China and Mexico, calling it a response to crossborder smuggling of fentanyl into the US along with illegal immigration.
The Canadian police said their action is part of operation ‘Project Pelican’ against transnational organised criminal networks trafficking illicit drugs into the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
Project Pelican marks the largest drug bust in our service’s history, with nearly $50 million in cocaine seized and a major transnational organized crime network dismantled.
This success was made possible through @PeelPolice’s outstanding collaboration with @CanBorder, DEA,… pic.twitter.com/lkhpgxfupd
— Peel Regional Police (@PeelPolice) June 10, 2025
Commercial trucking routes; multiple busts
The operation began in June last year when the Peel Regional Police started investigating a cocaine smuggling operation using US-Canada commercial trucking routes. The Peel police coordinated with the US Drug Enforcement Administration and the Homeland Security Investigation’s Border Enforcement Task Force in Detroit. As part of the probe, several individuals, trucking companies, and storage sites linked to the operation were identified.
Acting on information, between February and March this year, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) intercepted a commercial truck at the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, and seized 127 kilograms of cocaine which was concealed in the trailer, according to Peel police statement.
Another truck was intercepted at the Blue Water Bridge in Point Edward and 50 kgs of cocaine was seized, the statement said.
The Peel police added more seizures were made across the GTA in the same case, some of which included from individuals in possession of loaded firearms at the time of their arrest.
On 6 June, nine people were arrested, including six men of Indian-origin, and charged with drug trafficking and arms possession.
The nine are: Hao Tommy Huynh (27) from Mississauga; Sajgith Yogendrarajah (31) from Toronto; Philip Tep (39) from Hamilton; Manpreet Singh (44) from Brampton; Arvinder Powar (29) from Brampton; Karamjit Singh (36) from Caledon; Gurtej Singh (36) from Caledon; Sartaj Singh (27) from Cambridge; and Shiv Onkar Singh (31) from Georgetown.
Apart from drugs, two illegal loaded semi-automatic handguns were also seized from the accused. “This historic seizure sends a clear message to organized crime: you will find no safe haven in Ontario,” said Michael S. Kerzner, Solicitor General of Ontario.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
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