A 68-year-old man from Brampton, Ont. is in police custody after he was caught allegedly trafficking 188 bricks of suspected cocaine into Canada last month.
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) said in a news release issued Monday, on Oct. 17 a commercial truck driver arrived at the Canada-U.S. land border at the Blue Water Bridge in Point Edward, Ont., which is adjacent to Sarnia.
At that time, the CBSA said, the driver was sent to secondary screening for further examination where agents noticed “inconsistencies” in the load.
A closer look revealed that the truck was carrying 188 “brick-shaped” objects of suspected cocaine, according the CBSA.
The driver was arrested following the allege discovery and transferred to RCMP custody.
An image of the allegedly seized narcotics was provided by the CBSA.
As a result of the investigation, Zenon Bialkowski, 68, of Brampton, is charged with importation of cocaine, contrary to section 6(1) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and possession for the purpose of trafficking, contrary to section 5(2) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.
Top brass from both the CBSA and the RCMP recognized the efforts by the officers on the ground following seizure calling it “significant.”
As well, Minister of Public Safety Marco Mendicino recognized the CBSA for their work on the front line.
“The work of the Canada Border Services Agency is our country’s first line of defence – and seizures like this are clear signs that our efforts to prevent crime and keep illegal drugs off our streets are working. I want to commend CBSA employees for their excellent work in keeping our communities safe,” he said in a statement.
