89 Bricks of Cocaine worth $6 Million taken of the street.
February 2, 2023 – Officials have praised the work of the the Canada Border Services Agency after another large drug bust – 89 bricks of suspected cocaine worth as much as $6 million – was seized in a transport truck attempting to cross at the Blue Water Bridge connecting Sarnia and Michigan.
Vikram Dutta, 44, and Gurinder Singh, 61, both of Brampton, were charged with importing cocaine and possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. This marks the sixth major alleged drug bust at the Blue Water Bridge in 2022 and at least five have been linked to truckers.
In January, about 265 kilograms of suspected heroin, pink cocaine and methamphetamines was seized, while 60 kilograms of suspected cocaine was found in April. In June, suitcases holding 100 bricks of suspected cocaine were discovered and another 224 kilograms with an estimated street value of $9.4 million was seized in October.
Another suspect was arrested within days of Dutta and Singh and charged with importing cocaine and possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, but an attempt to get more information from border officials about that incident, and whether it involved a truck, has been unsuccessful.
Canada’s Public Safety Minister, Marco Mendicino, praised the officers for their efforts in keeping illegal drugs from entering Canada. “I want to thank the dedicated CBSA and RCMP officers for their excellent work in stopping dangerous narcotics from coming into the country,” he said. Mendicino also visited the bridge two weeks ago and saw the officers’ hard work first hand.
“This seizure is a testament to the strength of collaboration between the CBSA and the RCMP, and is an excellent example of both agencies working together to protect our communities,” An Nguyen, Canada border services’ director of operations in the St. Clair district, said.
The CBSA and the RCMP have been doing an exemplary job in protecting our communities from the illicit drugs crossing our borders, and the recent bust at the Blue Water Bridge is just one example of their dedicated work.
The collaboration between the two agencies has been instrumental in preventing these dangerous drugs from entering Canada. It is also important to note that this is not just a Canadian issue, but a global issue that requires international collaboration between countries
