Cocaine seizure leads to border arrest

A Toronto man faces charges after nearly 50 kilograms of cocaine was seized at the Queenston-Lewiston Bridge.

A tractor trailer hauling a load of plastic resin pellets arrived at the Queenston-Lewiston Bridge Nov. 19 and the driver was referred to secondary inspection.

During the examination, according to the Canada Border Services Agency, officers along with a detector dog team discovered 50 packages of suspected cocaine.

The drugs were concealed inside several cardboard boxes containing plastic resin pellets.

The CBSA then turned the investigation over to the RCMP.

Charged with various drugrelated offences including possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking is Omari Kutaladze, 54, of Toronto. He is scheduled to appear in court in St. Catharines Jan. 11.

“This investigation is another example of the effective partnership that exists between the RCMP and the CBSA, which has resulted in the removal of harmful, illegal drugs from our communities,” said Insp. Ann Koeing, officer in charge of the Hamilton/ Niagara RCMP detachment.

More than 123 kilograms of cocaine were seized at the CBSA ports of entry in the Southern Ontario Region in 2017. The region includes Niagara Falls, Fort Erie, Windsor, Sarnia, London and surrounding communities.