Canada: Police bust major drug trafficking ring in York region, Indo-Canadians among dozens charged

The links of the network extended to Western Canada, the United States and India.

The seizures included 48 firearms, $730,000 in cash and $2.5 million worth of drugs – including heroin found at a children’s indoor play centre in Brampton.

In May 2020, officers began an investigation, dubbed Project Cheetah, into a robust network involved in importing large quantities of cocaine, ketamine, heroin and opium into Canada, read a statement issued by the York Regional Police.

The drugs were then distributed across the country through a sophisticated system run by the traffickers.  

On Thursday April 8, 2021, police in Ontario, British Columbia and California executed more than 50 search warrants, resulting in 33 people charged with more than 130 criminal offences.

Officers seized approximately $2.3 million worth of drugs including: Ten kilograms of cocaine, eight kilograms of ketamine, three kilograms of heroin and 2.5 kilograms of opium. Investigators also seized 48 firearms and $730,000 in Canadian currency.

“The success of this investigation is a testament to the effective cooperation among multiple agencies across jurisdictions as we pursue the shared objective of public safety,” said Inspector Marwan Zogheib, Officer in Charge, RCMP Toronto West Detachment. 

“The RCMP’s resources across Canada and overseas and our partnership with York Regional Police provide a multiplier effect to our collective efforts to dismantle such criminal networks.”

“Peel Regional Police were pleased to have joined with York Regional Police and the RCMP on Project Cheetah. This drug trafficking network was active throughout the Greater Toronto Area and negatively impacted our communities,” said Superintendent Dermot Coughlan – Intelligence Operations. “By working together with our law enforcement partners, the project was successfully concluded and I want to thank the members from the multiple agencies for helping to make our communities safer.” 

As per Insauga website, here are the Brampton residents who have been charged:

Parshotem Malhi, age 54

Trafficking Methamphetamine
Six counts of Trafficking Heroin
Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking - Heroin
Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking - Methamphetamine
Six counts of Possession of Property Obtained by Crime
Possession of Identity Documents

Rupinder Dhillion, age 37

Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking - Heroin
Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking - Methamphetamine

Sanveer Singh, age 25

Failure to Comply with Order
Possession of a Controlled Substance

Haripal Nagra, age 45

Trafficking - Heroin
Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking - Opium

Hassam Syed, age 30

Trafficking - Heroin
Possession - Heroin
Possession - Methamphetamine

Pritpal Singh, age 56

Trafficking - Heroin
Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking - Heroin
Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking - Cocaine
Possession of a Controlled Substance - Opium
Three counts of Possession of Property Obtained by Crime
Possession of Counterfeit Money

Harkiran Singh, age 33

Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking - Heroin
Possession of Property Obtained by Crime

Lakhpreet Brar, age 29

Three counts of Trafficking Ketamine
Trafficking Heroin
Three counts of Trafficking Opium
Conspiracy to Traffic Ketamine
Conspiracy to Traffic Heroin
Conspiracy to Traffic Opium
Four counts of Possession of Property Obtained by Crime

Balwinder Dhaliwal, age 60

Two counts of Trafficking Cocaine
Two counts of Possession of Property Obtained by Crime
Conspiracy to Traffic Cocaine

Sukhmanpreet Singh, age 23

Possession of a Controlled Substance - Heroin

Khushal Bhinder, age 36

Trafficking Cocaine
Conspiracy to Traffic Cocaine
Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking - Cocaine
Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking - Opium
Possession of Property Obtained by Crime

Prabhjeet Mundian, age 34

Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking - Cocaine
Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking - Opium
Possession of Property Obtained by Crime

Vansh Arora, age 24

Trafficking Cocaine
Conspiracy to Traffic Cocaine
Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking - Cocaine
Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking - Opium
Careless Storage of Ammunition

Simranjeet Narang, age 28

Trafficking Opium
Two counts of Trafficking Cocaine
Conspiracy to Traffic Opium
Conspiracy to Traffic Cocaine
Three counts of Possession of Property Obtained by Crime

Gaganpreet Gill, age 28

Trafficking Cocaine

Sukjit Dhaliwal, age 47

Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking - Heroin
Possession of a Controlled Substance - Methamphetamine
Possession of a Controlled Substance - Oxycodone

Chinedu Ajoku, age 51

Trafficking Heroin

Harjot Singh, age 31

Two counts of Trafficking Heroin
Trafficking Methamphetamine

Sukhjit Dhugga, age 35

Trafficking Ketamine
Conspiracy to Traffic Ketamine
Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking - Ketamine
Possession of Property Obtained by Crime

Residents of Toronto, Vaughan, Caledon and Woodstock also face charges

Police are also searching for one other man

Gurbinder Sooch, 41, of no fixed address who is facing the following charges:

Five counts of Trafficking Ketamine
Four counts of Possession of Property Obtained by Crime
Conspiracy to Traffic Ketamine
Trafficking Opium
Two counts of Trafficking Heroin
Conspiracy to Import Heroin
Fail to Comply with Release Order