Toronto police say an estimated street value of $90 million in cocaine and crystal methamphetamine was seized in what the force is calling its single-largest seizure of those types of drugs in its history.
At a press conference on Friday, Supt. Steve Watts, from the organized crime unit, said officers were investigating a major importation and distribution network for illicit drugs in the Toronto area in a 3.5-month investigation dubbed Project Finito.
Watts said 551 kilograms of cocaine and 441 kilos of crystal meth was seized following search warrants in October.
“It is the single-largest seizure of crystal methamphetamine and powder cocaine in the history of the Toronto Police Service,” Watts said.
“The drugs were destined for the streets of Toronto and beyond and would have inflicted significant damage on our communities,” Watts continued. “Intercepting the flow of these drugs has prevented many overdose deaths.”
The combined value of the 992 kilos of drugs is valued at around $90 million, Watts said.
Officers also seized a firearm, a vehicle and around $95,100 in Canadian money.
Seven people have been charged in connection with the drug bust. Watts said two people are in custody and five people have received bail.
The accused are facing several drug-related charges, including trafficking and/or possession of a Schedule I substance, possession of proceeds of crime and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.
Watts said the drugs came from south of the Canadian border, calling it “the largest undefended border in the free world.”
“It’s coming from the south, and it’s coming north,” Watts said. “We know that this was crossing the border, primarily land border points, and coming from the U.S. into Canada.”