Peel Regional Police have seized more than $25 million worth of narcotics following a months-long investigation into a criminal group that allegedly used commercial trucks to import drugs across the border.
Police released details of “Project Zucaritas” on Wednesday, saying a total of 383 kilograms of cocaine, methamphetamine, and ketamine had been seized.
The estimated street value of the drugs is worth $25.25 million, marking it the largest drug seizure in the force’s history.
“What you see here before you serves as more evidence of our collective commitment towards erasing organized crime and the type of organized crime which targets our communities,” Deputy Chief Nick Milinovich said at a press conference at Peel police headquarters in Mississauga.
“It is a priority for our service, our community, and we will not tolerate criminals who profit by preying on people in our community and using those profits to finance other criminal activities.”
“Project Zucaritas” began in November 2021 to investigate a trafficking ring that extended across the Greater Toronto Area.
Police said the Spanish word Zucaritas translates to a sugary cereal in English.
“And that label was on some of the drug packaging and that's where we derived the name from. As far as the other labeling, drug traffickers will put different labels on just so they can organize the product and identify the product as well,” Det. Sgt. Early Scott said.
Through their 11-month investigation, police said they learned about a large drug trafficking group that used commercial businesses to transport illegal drugs into the GTA.
“A business identified as North King Logistics, located on 50 Steeles Avenue in Milton, has been identified as a commercial trucking business used to transport and distribute illegal drugs,” Scott said.
“A second business, Friend Furniture located at 2835 Argentia Road in Mississauga, has also been identified as a transfer hub through the investigation,” he added.
Scott said the drugs were imported over the U.S-Canada border using commercial trucks. He said illegal narcotics were located in the rear of these commercial tractor trailers and concealed within legitimate loads of goods.
To dismantle the group, Peel police's Specialized Enforcement Bureau collaborated with U.S. Homeland Security Investigations in Detroit and Chicago and the Border Enforcement Security Task Force in Buffalo.
According to Illinois court documents obtained by CTV News Toronto, police began investigating one of the suspects, Gurdeep Gakhal, as early as April of 2020. At that time, the documents show, police south of the border had an undercover officer pose as a courier -- who then used the messaging platform WhatsApp to communicate with Gakhal and others -- about moving drugs.
Police said 182 kilograms of methamphetamine, 186 kilograms of cocaine and 38 kilograms of ketamine had been sized during the investigation.
Scott said roughly $70,000 was also seized.
Five men have been arrested and charged in connection with the investigation:
- Khalilullah Amin, 46, from Caledon has been charged with two counts of trafficking in controlled substances
- Jaspreet Singh, 28, from Brampton has been charged with one count of trafficking in a controlled substance, and one count of possession of property obtained by crime
- Wray Ip, 27, from Richmond Hill has been charged with four counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking
- Ravinder Boparai, 27, from Mississauga has been charged with one count of possession of property obtained by crime, and one count of possession for the purpose of trafficking
- Gurdeep Gakhal, 38, from Caledon has been charged with one count of trafficking in a controlled substance
Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie congratulated Peel police on the historic drug bust on Twitter and said “today's efforts are a major blow against organized crime and international drug trafficking.”
Milinovich, meanwhile, reiterated the need for people who are struggling with drug addiction to seek help.
“The reality is, what we've incorporated here in Peel is not exclusively enforcement…that needs to be coupled with things like prevention, social development, supporting our community, and helping people that are struggling with the addictions, (who) would have ultimately received these drugs, to get help,” he said.
Milinovich added that the community’s assistance is vital in cracking down on drug trafficking.
“We need the community, we cannot be everywhere. We need the community to access programs like Crime Stoppers,” he said.
The drugs seized in “Project Zucaritas” brings the total value of narcotics collected by Peel police to over $40 million so far this year alone.
