Officers seize record $10M in cocaine at Coutts
Authorities intercepted $10 million worth of cocaine at Alberta’s Coutts border crossing in the biggest such seizures of the drug in Prairie history.
The 202 kilograms of drugs were packed with goods in three separate shipments aboard commercial trucks, beginning with 60 packages of cocaine weighing 69 kg secreted in a cargo of televisions discovered Sept. 2.
“Officers noted a small, dense package in a vacuum-sealed bag that tested positive for cocaine,” said Ana Maria Coutu of the CBSA.
Another 40.5 kg of the drug was found two days later amid a cargo of 2,000 Halloween costumes — with the two making up the largest weekend seizure numbers for the Canada Border Services Agency’s (CBSA) prairie region.
But the largest seizure was to come on Oct. 10, when 83 bricks of cocaine weighing 92.74 kg were seized from another commercial truck. The drugs were hidden throughout its cab, said Coutu.
“This is the largest cocaine seizure in Prairie region history ... it was destined for an Alberta business,” she said.
Five men have been charged in the three busts with importing a controlled substance and possession for the purpose of trafficking.
The RCMP continues to look for possible links between the three incidents. The suspects hail mainly from B.C., said Insp. Allan Lai.
“I can’t comment on that but the amount of cocaine being shipped is definitely organized crime-related,” he said.
Officials wouldn’t say if the arrests were the culmination of prior investigations, but Lai said the quick succession of busts resulted from improved policing tactics and excellent border surveillance.
“We’re modernizing how we do our business and as a result of that and intelligence sharing, we’re making a lot more of a dent in criminal organizations,” said Lai, who added some smuggled drugs are still eluding police.
“This seizure on its own is very significant.”
All of the processed cocaine originated in California and was destined for businesses in Western Canada, Lai and Coutu said.
Charged in the Sept. 2 bust are Gurpreet Singh Cheema, 29 and Gurpreet Singh, 28, both of B.C., who will appear in Lethbridge provincial court Oct. 24. Tejinderpal Singh Sandhu, 34, of B.C. is to appear in court the same day for the Sept. 4 seizure. And Jasmail Singh Sander, 53, of B.C. and Parmjeet Singh Sandhu, 31, of Ontario are to appear in court Nov. 17. All have been released on conditions.