TORONTO: Thirteen residents of Ontario face a total of 48 offences after an international investigation into the importation of illegal drugs and firearms into the country.
The operation dubbed ‘Project Monto’ was launched in 2014 and saw officers from the OPP join forces with officers in Toronto, York and Peel, as well as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Canada Border Services Agency and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
It concentrated on the importation of drugs from Caribbean countries of Trinidad and Tobago, St. Lucia and Guyana with the narcotics then being distributed here in the GTA as well as in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The illegal importation of firearms from Florida, mostly handguns was also investigated.
At a press conference held on Thursday morning at the Forensic Services and Coroners Complex, off Keele Street north of Highway 401, authorities confirmed a total of 123 kilograms of cocaine with a potential street worth of $12.2 million, 22 firearms, $146,000 in Canadian currency and four vehicles were seized in the course of the investigation.
According to police, most of the of the drugs and guns were seized by importation through major airports.
Of the 13 people charged, 12 are residents of the GTA and one is a Guyanese national, who is still wanted by police.
