Peel Regional Police say they’ve dismantled a transnational organized crime network involved in trafficking cocaine into southern Ontario, marking the largest drug seizure in the force’s history.
Dubbed Project Pelican, the months-long investigation uncovered a sophisticated smuggling operation using “commercial trucking logistics” to facilitate drug trafficking between the United States and Canada, according to police.
Peel police made the announcement alongside the Mayor of Brampton, Patrick Brown, and Abeid Morgan, a CBSA regional intelligence director, during a Tuesday morning press conference.
Authorities announced that nearly 480 kilograms of cocaine—with an estimated street value of $47.9 million—were seized during the investigation, along with loaded firearms.
They added that the probe began in June 2024 and expanded with the assistance of multiple agencies, including the Canada Border Services Agency, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Homeland Security Investigations Border Enforcement Security Task Force based in Detroit.
Peel police said the investigation led to key seizures and arrests between February and May 2025, including two major busts at Canada-U.S. border crossings.
Notably, the announcement made no mention of fentanyl seizures, failing to buttress claims of prolific fentanyl movement from Canada into the U.S. made recently by FBI Director Kash Patel.
In February, police said CBSA officers intercepted a commercial transport truck at the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ont., seizing 127 kilograms of cocaine hidden in the trailer. The driver was arrested at the scene.
In March, another 50 kilograms of cocaine were discovered concealed inside a trailer stopped at the Blue Water Bridge in Point Edward, Ont. The driver was arrested with support from the RCMP.
Additional raids were conducted across the GTA, according to police, where officers say they uncovered more shipments linked to “commercial trucking operations.” Some suspects were allegedly in possession of loaded semi-automatic handguns at the time of their arrests.
The nine suspects have all appeared for bail hearings at the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton.
In addition to the nearly half-tonne of cocaine, officers seized two loaded, prohibited handguns during the operation.
Peel police said the investigation was made possible through funding from the Ontario Ministry of the Solicitor General, with support from the Criminal Intelligence Service Ontario.
“This operation is a testament to the collaboration between our law enforcement agencies on both sides of the border,” Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah said during a press conference Tuesday.
“The scale of this seizure underscores the reach of organized crime and the importance of continued intelligence-led policing,” he continued.
During a post-conference scrum, local crime reporter Nitin Chopra posed a direct question to the CBSA representative:
“If non-permanent residents are convicted—should they be deported?”
Chopra’s question appeared to be influenced by Peel Regional Police’s emphasis on the investigation targeting “a transnational drug trafficking network.”
Notably, five of the nine suspects involved in the operation shared the surname Singh, a common name among people of Punjabi descent.
When asked the question, the CBSA’s Abeid Morgan responded affirmatively — confirming the agency’s active role in removing convicted criminals from Canada.
Abeid said the CBSA led efforts that resulted in the deportation of approximately 18,000 people in 2024, with plans to significantly increase that number in 2025.