Peel police seize over $25M in illicit drugs in large cross-border trafficking bust

Peel Regional Police say they have seized illegal drugs worth more than $25 million after an 11-month long probe into a Canada-U.S. smuggling ring.

Police said they have charged five men, who range in age from 27 to 46, with trafficking in connection with the investigation dubbed "Project Zucaritas," which means sugary cereal in Spanish, a label police allege was on some of the drug packaging.

Det.-Sgt. Earl Scott, the investigator in charge of the Project Zucaritas team and a member of the Peel police specialized enforcement bureau, told reporters at a news conference on Wednesday that the seizure is the largest in the force's history. He alleged some of the drugs were concealed in the rear of commercial tractor-trailers within loads of legitimate goods.

"We identified the fact that they were coming through commercial trucking, over the border, and being concealed within the commercial trucks," he said.

The five accused come from Caledon, Brampton, Mississauga and Richmond Hill, Ont. Police allege the group ran businesses to transport illegal drugs from the U.S. into the Greater Toronto Area.

Four of the five have appeared in court and have had their bail hearings. One of the five is in custody in the U.S. on a warrant issued by the Northern District of Illinois for violations of U.S. drug conspiracy laws. Peel police have issued a warrant for his arrest.

Police said they seized 383 kilograms of cocaine, methamphetamine and ketamine with an estimated street value of $25.25 million. The seizure includes 182 kilograms of methamphetamine, 166 kilograms of cocaine and 38 kilograms of ketamine. Officers seized about $70,000 in Canadian currency but did not recover any firearms, police said.

Officers from the Peel police specialized enforcement bureau began investigating in November 2021 with the help of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in Detroit and Chicago and the Border Enforcement Security Task Force in Buffalo.

Scott said police identified two businesses that officers called "transfer hubs" allegedly involved in the distribution of illicit drugs. The businesses are North King Logistics, a commercial trucking company, located at 50 Steeles Ave. in Milton, and Friend Furniture, a furniture company, located at 2835 Argentia Rd. in Mississauga.

Once the drugs were in Canada, police said the loads were taken to one of two transfer hubs, where they were prepared for distribution around the GTA. 

Deputy Chief Nick Milinovich,  who also spoke at the news conference, said the drugs on display at the news conference are evidence that police are committed to fighting organized crime.

"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," Milinovich said.

"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."

Milinovich said police encourage people struggling with addictions to get help.