The Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) is applauding today’s major drug trafficking bust on a transnational organized criminal network in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and agrees with law enforcement officials who echo OTA’s long-standing calls for a crackdown on the underground economy in trucking and that law and order be restored.
Today’s drug seizure is the largest in Peel Police history, with nearly $50 million worth of cocaine seized. Police alleges that multiple trucking fleets were actively engaged in this illegal activity.
“While it is great news that police were successful in getting this off the streets, it is yet another black mark on our industry, and is yet another example of how lawlessness has continued to permeate in our sector,” said OTA President and CEO Stephen Laskowski.
According to the official release, in June 2024, Peel Regional Police began investigating a cocaine smuggling operation using U.S.-Canada commercial trucking routes. In November, by working with multiple partners including the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations Border Enforcement Task Force in Detroit, multiple individuals, trucking companies, and storage sites linked to the operation were identified.
Additional seizures were also made across the GTA in connection with commercial trucking by Peel Regional Police, some of which included individuals in possession of loaded firearms at the time of arrest.
The Ontario Trucking Association has for years called on the province and federal government to work with the compliant trucking industry to further secure the international supply chain within trucking and continuing to protect it from illegal smuggling and forced labour.
“Today’s police actions, in addition to the success of Operation Deterrence, shows the commitment the Government of Ontario and the enforcement communities at all levels have shown to restoring law and order in our sector. However, the bitter reality remains that compliant, responsible carriers still believe much more needs to be done to curb the rampant criminal activity in the trucking industry,” said Laskowski.
The Canadian Trucking Alliance have also been calling for additional changes to cross-border security programs that would assist in preventing fleets with potential criminal intentions from participating in the international supply chain.
To read the entire release please click here.