The investigation began in November 2020 and police alleged tractor-trailers were equipped with hydraulic traps capable of smuggling as much as 100 kilos of drugs in one trip. Toronto police say hundreds of kilos of illegal drugs and pills have been seized and several arrests were made in what they are calling a “takedown of a major international drug-smuggling ring.”
TORONTO – Nine Indo-Canadians are among 20 people arrested in one of Canada’s biggest take down of an international drug smuggling ring.
Gurbakhash Grewal, 37, Sukhwant Brar, 37, Parminder Gill, 33, all of Bramopton, Amarbir Sarkaria, 25, Harbaljit S. Toor, 46, Harwinder Bhullar (female), 43, all of Caledon, and Sarjant S. Dhaliwal, 37, Gurveer Dhaliwal, 26, Gurmanpreet Grewal, 26, all of Kitchener are among those arrested in a six-month investigation dubbed “Project Brisa”, which targeted the importation of cocaine and crystal meth from Mexico to California and then into Canada through tractor-trailers.
The investigation began in November 2020 and police alleged tractor-trailers were equipped with hydraulic traps capable of smuggling as much as 100 kilos of drugs in one trip.
Toronto police say hundreds of kilos of illegal drugs and pills have been seized and several arrests were made in what they are calling a “takedown of a major international drug-smuggling ring.”
Police found 1,000 kilograms of cocaine, crystal meth, and marijuana being transported between Canada, California, and Mexico.
The drugs were being transported in modified tractor trailers with hydraulic traps installed, capable of smuggling 100 kilograms of substance at a time.
After executing several search warrants, police arrested 20 people from B.C., Toronto, Kitchener, Vaughn, Caledon and Brampton, including one under the age of 18, who are collectively facing 182 charges. Police said two people are still outstanding.
“Throughout the project, investigators identified a person known as the ‘Trap Maker,’” Toronto police said in a release.
“This man was allegedly responsible for building hidden compartments within the tractor-trailers for the purposes of smuggling large amounts of contraband across borders.”
Police identified the person allegedly responsible for building hidden compartments in the trailers to be Jason Hall of Surrey, B.C., known as the “Trap Maker.” Hall turned himself in Toronto last week and has been charged with conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, and to participate in a criminal organization.
The following items were seized by investigators:
444 kg of cocaine
182 kg of crystal meth
427 kg of marijuana
300 oxycodone pills
$966,020 in cash
21 vehicles, including 5 tractor-trailers
1 firearm
Police said the estimated street value of the drugs they claim that they seized is more than $61 million. Toronto police also said it is the largest drug bust in the service’s history.
Toronto police said Project Brisa was a collaboration between the Ontario Provincial Police, York Regional Police, and several other provincial government and American law enforcement agencies.
