The Canadian Bazaar
TORONTO: Nine Punjabis, including a woman, are among 20 people arrested in a major international drug racket smuggling cocaine, crystal meth, and marijuana between Mexico, California, and Canada using modified tractor trailers.
According to Toronto Police, 444 kilos of cocaine, 182 kilos of crystal meth, 427 kilos of marijuana, 300 oxycodone pills and $966,020 in currency have been seized from the gang.
The street value of the drugs seized from them is more than $61 million.
Police have also seized 21 vehicles, including 5 tractor trailers, and one firearm from the accused.
The suspects face 182 charges.
Among the nine Punjabis who have been arrested, three – Sukhwant Brar (37), Parminder Gill (33), and Gurbakhash Singh Grewal (37) – are from Brampton.
Three – Amarbir Singh Sarkaria (25), Harbaljit Singh Toor (46) and Ms Harwinder Bhullar (43) are from Caledon.
The remaining three – Sarjant Singh Dhaliwal (37), Gurveer Dhaliwal (26) and Gurmanpreet Grewal (26) – are from Kitchener,
The arrests have been made under Dubbed Project Brisa launched by Canadian and American law enforcement agencies as well as agencies throughout southwestern Ontario and across Canada.
Investigations between November 2020 and May 2021 identified smugglers who were transporting drugs across borders for sale in Canada. The smugglers had installed hydraulic traps in tractor-trailers, capable of smuggling 100 kilograms of substance in a single trip.
Investigators also identified a person known as the “trap maker” who built hidden compartments in tractor-trailers for smuggling large amounts of contraband across borders.
The “trap maker” has been identified as Jason Hall, 43, of Surrey, British Columbia. He turned himself into police in Toronto last week and is charged with conspiracy to commit an indictable offence and participate in a criminal organization.
The other 19 persons face the following charges:
Gurbakhash Singh Grewal, 37, of Brampton, has been charged with:
1. Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence
2. Importation of a Schedule I Substance
3. Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Schedule I Substance
4. Two counts of Participate in a Criminal Organization
Amarbir Singh Sarkaria, 25, of Caledon, has been charged with:
1. Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence
2. Importation of a Schedule I Substance
3. Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Schedule I Substance
4. Participate in a Criminal Organization
Harbaljit Singh Toor, 46, of Caledon, had been charged with:
1. Four counts of Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence
2. Four counts of Importation of a Schedule I Substance
3. Five counts of Participate in a Criminal Organization
4. Three counts of Commit an Offence for the benefit of a Criminal Organization
5. Two counts of Instruct to Commit an Offence for a Criminal Organization
6. Counsel to Commit an Offence not yet Committed
7. Four counts of Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Schedule I Substance
Harwinder Bhullar (female), 43, of Caledon, has been charged with:
1. Participate in a Criminal Organization
2. Possession of Proceeds Over $5000
Sarjant Singh Dhaliwal, 37, of Kitchener, has been charged with:
1. Four counts of Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence
2. Four counts of Importation of a Schedule I Substance
3. Four counts of Participate in a Criminal Organization
4. Three counts of Commit an Offence for the benefit of a Criminal Organization
5. Instruct to Commit an Offence for a Criminal Organization
6. Two counts of Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Schedule I Substance
7. Two counts of Possession of a Schedule I Substance
Gurveer Dhaliwal, 26, of Kitchener, has been charged with:
1. Four counts of Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence
2. Four counts of Importation of a Schedule I Substance
3. Four counts of Participate in a Criminal Organization
4. Three counts of Commit an Offence for the benefit of a Criminal Organization
5. Four counts of Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Schedule I Substance
Gurmanpreet Grewal, 26, of Kitchener, has been charged with:
1. Four counts of Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence
2. Four counts of Importation of a Schedule I Substance
3. Three counts of Participate in a Criminal Organization
4. Three counts of Commit an Offence for the benefit of a Criminal Organization
5. Instruct to Commit an Offence for the benefit of a Criminal Organization
6. Four counts of Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Schedule I Substance
Sukhwant Brar, 37, of Brampton, has been charged with:
1. Four counts of Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence
2. Three counts of Importation of a Schedule I Substance
3. Four counts of Participate in a Criminal Organization
4. Three counts of Commit an Offence for the benefit of a Criminal Organization
5. Instruct to Commit an Offence for the benefit of a Criminal Organization
6. Four counts of Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Schedule I Substance
Parminder Gill, 33, of Brampton, has been charged with:
1. Two counts of Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence
2. Two counts of Importation of a Schedule I Substance
3. Participate in a Criminal Organization
4. Commit an Offence for a Criminal Organization
Ryan Nikolakakos, 28, of Toronto, has been charged with:
1. Three counts of Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Schedule I Substance
2. Possession of Proceeds of Crime over $5000
Zaw Min Htoo, 23, of Toronto, has been charged with:
1. Two counts of Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Schedule I Substance
2. Instructing the Commission of an offence for a Criminal Organization
3. Commit an Offence for the benefit of a Criminal Organization
4. Participate in a Criminal Organization
5. Conspiracy to Commit and Indictable Offence
Damoy Searchwell, 24, of Toronto, has been charged with:
1. Trafficking Schedule I Substance
2. Possession of Proceeds of Crime over $5000
3. Commit an Offence for the benefit of a Criminal Organization
4. Participate in a Criminal Organization
5. Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence
Samet Hysa, 28, of Vaughan, has been charged with:
1. Trafficking Schedule I Substance
2. Commit an Offence for the benefit of a Criminal Organization
3. Participate in a Criminal Organization
4. Possession of Proceeds of Crime over $5000
5. Possession of Property Obtained by Crime
6. Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm
7. Possession of a Firearm Knowing it Possession is Unlawful
8. Careless Storage of a Firearm
9. Possession of a Loaded or Restricted Firearm
Hanif Jamal, 43, of Toronto, has been charged with:
1. Two counts of Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Schedule I Substance
2. Possession of Proceeds of Crime over $5000
Wei Jie Huang, 28, of Toronto, has been charged with:
1. Trafficking Schedule I Substance
2. Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Schedule I Substance
3. Possession of Proceeds of Crime over $5000
4. Commit an Offence for the benefit of a Criminal Organization
5. Participate in a Criminal Organization
6. Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence
Nadeem, Lila, 35, of Toronto, has been charged with:
1. Two counts of Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Schedule I Substance
2. Possession of Proceeds of Crime over $5000
Yusuf Lila, 68, of Toronto, has been charged with:
1. Two counts of Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Schedule I Substance
2. Possession of Proceeds of Crime over $5000
5. Two counts of Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Schedule I Substance
Andre Williams, 35, of Toronto, has been charged with:
1. Conspiracy to Commit and Indictable Offence
2. Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Schedule I Substance
3. Possession of Proceeds of Crime over $5000
A young person, who cannot be named, has been charged with:
1. Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence
2. Importation of a Schedule I Substance
3. Participate in a Criminal Organization
4. Commit an Offence for the benefit of a Criminal Organization
5. Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Schedule I Substance
Two men are still wanted as part of Project Brisa. They are William Nhan, 23, and Scott McManus, 38, both of Toronto.
READ ALSO: 25 Brampton Punjabi men arrested in international drug racket
