The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) says officers intercepted two major shipments of suspected cocaine in separate incidents at the Blue Water Bridge port of entry in Point Edward, Ont., last month.
On Aug. 13, border officers sent a commercial truck arriving from the United States for a secondary inspection. Inside the trailer, officers discovered six boxes containing 150 kg of suspected cocaine, with an estimated street value of $18.8 million.
The driver, Gurjeet Singh, 28, of Brampton, Ont., was arrested and turned over to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) along with the seized narcotics.
Just a day later, on Aug. 14, officers referred another tractor-trailer for additional screening. This time, they uncovered 199 kg of suspected cocaine hidden in the trailer of a commercial load. The drugs are estimated to be worth $24.9 million on the street.
The driver, Abdikadir Egal, 38, of Etobicoke, Ont., was arrested and transferred to RCMP custody.
Both men face charges under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, including importation of cocaine and possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.
The CBSA says the cases are now before the Ontario Court of Justice in Sarnia. The investigations are ongoing and charges have not yet been proven in court.
