Officers with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) found nearly 250 kilograms of suspected cocaine in a shipping container in Halifax.
Officers say a shipment from the Dominican Republic was flagged by the CBSA’s targeting centre on March 3. They detected 1,178 illicit packages in the shipment using X-ray technology, according to a CBSA news release.
“The drugs were wrapped in carbon paper and concealed within flatbread,” the release reads. “Upon further inspection, multiple field tests confirmed the substance as suspected cocaine.”
The CBSA says an organized crime group was importing 248.7 kilograms of cocaine.
Officers identified Peter Pompeo, 58, from Montreal, as the importer. He was suspected of working with Taylor Bixby, 35, and Zachary Daniel Ardizzi, 33, both from Ontario, to traffic the cocaine.
All three suspects were arrested and charged with:
- importing a controlled substance
- conspiracy to import a controlled substance
- possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking
- conspiracy to traffic a controlled substance
The accused are set to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Newmarket, Ont., on May 13.
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