A seizure of more than 835 kilograms of cocaine by Toronto Police, estimated with a street value of around $83 million.
Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw says it’s the largest seizure of cocaine in the history of the force.
“We know these drugs travelled from Mexico over the United States’ southern border and then made their way to Canada where we stopped and seized them. This investigation required months of effort. Getting 835 kilograms of cocaine off of our streets will make a huge difference for our communities, not only our communities in Toronto. We know that some of these drugs were destined for other regions from Coast to Coast to Coast.”
Almost half was seized at the border between Canada and the United States, and it’s believed they have links to a violent Mexican drug cartel.
“At some point, we realized that an 18-wheeler was coming from Mexico through the United States up into Canada. It travelled through the states, got to our border, when it crossed into Canada, we asked the CBSA and the Mounties to stop it for us,” Superintendent Paul MacIntyre of the Toronto Police Service’s Organized Crime Enforcement unit stated during a news conference on Tuesday.
Six people, including two Mexicans and four Canadians, have been arrested and arrest warrants have been issued for three others.
Project Castillo began in August 2024 and was led by the Toronto Police Service Drug Squad – Major Projects, with assistance from York Regional Police, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), and the RCMP Windsor Border Integrity Unit.