Toronto police seize $83M worth of cocaine in bust linked to Mexican drug cartel

Toronto police have seized about $83 million worth of cocaine as part of a project called Castillo. It is the largest drug bust in Toronto police history during an investigation into a violent Mexican drug cartel.

The discovery was announced at a news conference on Tuesday, and details of the months-long investigation were released. The police said that about 835 kilograms of cocaine were seized and six people were arrested in connection with this case. This investigation was conducted as part of a large joint project into drug importation and distribution in the Toronto area.

Among those arrested, two have Mexican nationality and four have Canadian nationality. An arrest warrant has also been issued for three other suspects.

Police Chief Myron Demkio announced in a statement:
"Getting these drugs off the streets prevents violence, saves lives and disrupts dangerous criminal networks. "This impact is only possible with the commitment of our members and the valuable cooperation of our partners."

The investigation involved cooperation with York Regional Police, the Canada Border Services Agency and border agents in Windsor, Ontario.

Paul McIntyre, head of Toronto police's organized crime enforcement unit, told a news conference that half of the cocaine was seized at the border. About 475 kilograms of these substances were seized from an 18-wheeler truck that came to Canada from Mexico, via the United States.

He added that police received information about the distribution of cocaine in the Toronto area in August.

“We began our investigation…at some point we found out that an 18-wheeler was traveling from Mexico, through the United States, to Canada. "When it reached our border, we asked the Canada Border Services Agency and the Mounted Police to stop it."

Meanwhile, police executed search warrants at several locations and arrested a number of people in what are known as "warehouses."

McIntyre described the arrested suspects as "high-level distributors." Of the three remaining suspects, police believe only one, 60-year-old Niagara Falls resident Ryan Nowlin, is still in Canada.

This discovery is related to the "Jalisco New Generation" cartel. McIntyre described the cartel as a very violent one, saying:
"We hope that with this action, we have caused serious damage to them. Although their activities may continue, this was a big blow to them."

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