An undercover operation led by members of the RCMP detachment in Kitchener has resulted in the arrest of 11 people, including two Sunwing Airlines employees accused of importing cocaine through Pearson International Airport.

This investigation, dubbed project Woodcraft, culminated with a series of raids in Hamilton, Toronto, Brantford, Kitchener and Durham Region this past week.

As a result of those raids, 10 kilograms of fentanyl, 1.3 kilograms of heroin, one kilogram of methamphetamine and 30 kilograms of cannabis were seized, along with smaller amounts of carfentanil and cocaine.

Police say that the drugs have an estimated street value of $10 million.

A total of 11 people were arrested, including the two Sunwing Airlines employees who police say were members of a cocaine importation ring working out of the Toronto Pearson International Airport.

“This investigation involved Kitchener RCMP infiltrating several high level drug trafficking groups supplying fentanyl and other illicit drugs to markets in the GTA and in southwestern Ontario. The investigation also uncovered members of a cocaine importation ring working in Pearson International Airport,” Michael LeSage, Criminal Operations Officer for the RCMP’s O Division, told reporters at a news conference.

Importation ring an ‘ongoing enterprise’

Staff Sgt Blair Fuhrman of the RCMP’s Kitchener detachment said that the importation ring at Pearson International Airport was an “ongoing enterprise” throughout the investigation, which spanned for about a year and a half, and had likely begun before that.

He said that while the charges filed against the employees relate to the importation of cocaine from Jamaica, investigators believe they were also involved in “several ongoing conspiracies involving mostly Caribbean countries.

It is not clear what positions the employees held at Sunwing.

In a statement provided to CP24 on Friday, Sunwing Airlines said they can confirm that they worked closely with the RCMP during the investigation but are unable to provide additional details due to its ongoing nature.

"The safety and security of both our employees and our customers remains our main priority and we have offered our full cooperation to the RCMP to ensure that this matter was brought to a successful conclusion," the statement says.

The 11 suspects taken into custody as a result of the investigation are facing a combined 40 charges.