20 years in jail for Welland man’s role in crime ring

Cocaine was smuggled inside boulders from Mexico and Brazil to Port Colborne

A Welland man will spend the next 20 years behind bars for his role in an international crime ring involving cocaine-filled granite boulders imported from Mexico.

Jeffery Kompon, 46, was sentenced in Superior Court of Justice in Welland last week on various charges including possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.

Vito Buffone, 53, of Caledon, was sentenced to 22 years in jail on similar charges.

Niagara Regional Police said the crime ring brought more than one tonne of cocaine into Niagara in less than two years.

“This was one of the most significant cases we’ve seen in Niagara,” said Det. Sgt. Shawn Clarkson.

The cocaine was hidden in boulders imported from Mexico and Brazil as building materials for kitchen counter tops and other uses.

The boulders were brought into Canada at Montreal and border points in Ontario and taken to a warehouse in Port Colborne where the drugs were extracted.

Also seized during the investigation were $250,000 in marijuana, $430,000 cash, $400,000 in watches and other jewelry.

Thirteen high-end vehicles were also seized including a Ferrari and 1979 Porsche worth about $500,000.

Clarkson said the case marks the first time associates of the Sinaloa crime cartel in Mexico have been convicted in Ontario.

The investigation, dubbed Project Roadmaster, began in 2013 and by early 2014 it had expanded to include Canada Border Services Agency, Ontario Provincial Police, the RCMP and police services in Toronto and Peel and the United States.

The other individuals arrested in connection with Project Roadmaster have been dealt with in the courts. Several had charges withdrawn, while most received jail terms of between 18 months and 18 years.