127 kg of suspected cocaine seized at the Windsor, ON. border crossing. CBSA Image
WINDSOR, Ont. — Two Mississauga men are facing drug charges after border officers seized 127 kilograms of suspected cocaine from a commercial truck entering Canada at the Ambassador Bridge.
The Canada Border Services Agency says the truck arrived from the United States on Sept. 11 and was referred for a secondary examination.
Officers, assisted by a detector dog, located and seized the suspected cocaine inside the trailer.
The CBSA arrested Vasyl Galychyn, 61, and Anton Chernyshov, 41, and transferred the men and seized drugs to the RCMP.
Both men have been charged with importing cocaine and possessing cocaine for the purpose of trafficking under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.
The case is before the Ontario Court of Justice in Windsor, and the charges are subject to validation by the court.
These allegations have not been proven in court.
Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree said the seizure demonstrates efforts to combat cross-border organized crime and drug trafficking.
“The seizure of this significant quantity of cocaine at the Ambassador Bridge demonstrates our government’s action to protect Canadians from the threat of cross-border organized crime and illicit drugs,” Anandasangaree said.
CBSA Southern Ontario Regional Director General Michael Prosia said the seizure highlights the role of border officers in preventing illegal drugs from entering Canada.
“Their experience, attention to detail and use of technology helped stop a significant amount of cocaine from entering the country,” Prosia said.
The CBSA says its Southern Ontario Region has seized 1.67 metric tonnes of cocaine so far this year.
The federal government is investing $1.3 billion in border security and the immigration system as part of its broader border plan.
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