20 people charged, $61M worth of drugs seized in largest bust in Toronto police history
Twenty people are facing rafts of charges each and more than $61 million worth of cocaine, crystal meth and marijuana was seized in what Toronto police are calling the largest drug seizure in the service’s history.
“Project Brisa” allegedly found a group of smugglers using trap door compartments in tractor-trailers to move up to 100 kilograms of drugs at a time from Mexico and California to several cities in Ontario.
The conspirators allegedly moved large quantities of drugs into Canada via Ontario border crossings.
Drugs seized as part of 'Project Brisa' are shown in a TPS handout image.
Toronto Drug Squad Acting Insp. Steve Watts said the trap compartments were extremely difficult to detect and penetrate.
“They were sophisticated to the point that X-ray (scanning) was not able to penetrate those traps,” he told reporters on Tuesday.
Investigators allege the traps were built and installed by a 43-year-old British Columbia man who is one of those charged as part of the probe.
In May, police executed 35 search warrants in Toronto and the GTA, Sarnia, London, Guelph, Kitchener, Montreal, Halifax, Surrey, Calgary and Winnipeg.
They allegedly seized 444 kilograms of cocaine, 157 kilograms of crystal meth, 427 kilograms of marijuana and 300 oxycodone pills.
They also found $966,000 in cash and seized five tractor-trailers and several other vehicles including a Mercedes G-Wagon.
Investigators also seized one Glock handgun.Vehicles seized as part of 'Project Brisa' are shown in a TPS handout image.
Watts said the vehicles and cash will be taken by the Ontario government through civil forfeiture proceedings, while the drugs will be destroyed.
Asked about the significant amount of marijuana located in the bust, Watts said there is still a profitable underground market open in Canada despite legalization.
“Until you provide a price point that is significantly lower, the illicit market does exist, and that’s a reality.”
Acting Toronto Police Chief Jim Ramer said the bust would significantly impact the supply of illicit drugs in the GTA.
“The social cost that this amount of drugs inflicts on society is immeasurable.”
He commended all investigators involved in the operation, which began in Nov. 2020.
“It was strategic, it was intelligence-led and it was focused on preventing community harm and preserving community wellbeing.”
Several of the tractor trailers and other vehicles were modified with hydraulic-powered trap door compartments to move drugs.
Twenty people are now in custody, and two others are still on the lam.
The majority of those charged reside in Kitchener, Toronto and the GTA.
They are facing a combined total of 182 criminal code charges.
Scott McManus and William Nhan are shown in a composite image released by Toronto police.
The two suspects still outstanding were identified as Scott McManus, 38 and William Nhan, 23, both of Toronto.
Anyone with information about either suspect is asked to call investigators.
Toronto police say numerous other police services including the RCMP, OPP, York Regional Police, Montreal police and a number of provincial and federal agencies assisted them in the investigation.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trump confronts repeated boos during raucous Libertarian convention speech
Donald Trump was booed repeatedly while addressing Saturday night’s Libertarian Party National Convention.
This type of screen time has the worst effect on kids: experts
According to some experts, there is one type of screen time that is continuously excessive, and it's having a severe effect on our children.
Family of toddler found dead at small-town Ont. daycare no closer to answers after year of investigation
A year has passed since two-year-old Vienna Irwin was found on the property of a home-based daycare in small-town Ontario, but her family says they are no closer to answers of what happened that day.
Grayson Murray, two-time PGA Tour winner, dead at 30
Two-time PGA Tour winner Grayson Murray died Saturday morning at age 30, one day after he withdrew from the Charles Schwab Cup Challenge at Colonial.
Humboldt Broncos crash victims and families react to decision to deport truck driver
The family of one of the victims of the Humboldt Broncos bus crash in 2018 says they are 'thankful' for a decision by a Calgary immigration board to deport the driver of the truck involved.
Fatal plane crash reported near Squamish, B.C.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has confirmed it is working with local Mounties and the BC Coroners Service after a plane crash near Squamish, B.C. Friday night.
'God forgives but we don’t': Loud outburst from stabbing victim’s family during sentencing hearing
An emotional outburst in a London, Ont. courtroom Friday disrupted the sentencing hearing of a woman who pleaded guilty for her part in the death of 29-year-old Mohammed Abdallah.
Three dead after vehicle plunged down a 100-foot embankment in Shediac, N.B.
Three people have died after a vehicle veered off the road in Shediac N.B., Friday morning.
Appeal denied for Edmonton soldier accused of trying to kill her 3 children
An Edmonton woman found guilty of trying to kill her three children has been denied an appeal.