TORONTO, Canada — Nine individuals, including six Indo-Canadians, have been arrested and charged in the Greater Toronto Area as part of “Project Pelican,” a major operation targeting a transnational cocaine smuggling network.
Led by Peel Regional Police (PRP) with partners such as the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), US Drug Enforcement Administration, and US Homeland Security Investigations, the investigation began in June 2024 focusing on cocaine trafficking through US-Canada commercial trucking routes.
By November 2024, authorities had identified numerous individuals, trucking companies, and storage locations connected to the network. As of June 6, 2025, the suspects face 35 charges involving drugs and firearms. The accused include Hao Tommy Huynh (Mississauga), Sajgith Yogendrarajah (Toronto), Manpreet Singh (Brampton), and others from the GTA and surrounding areas.
Between February and May 2025, CBSA intercepted two major shipments at border crossings — 127 kg of cocaine at the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, and 50 kg at the Blue Water Bridge in Point Edward. Additional seizures involving loaded firearms were made across the GTA by PRP.
PRP Chief Nishan Duraiappah called the seizure the largest in the service’s history, emphasizing the ongoing threat organized crime poses and the importance of cross-border collaboration.
Michael Prosia, CBSA Regional Director for Southern Ontario, praised the joint effort to dismantle organized crime and keep communities safe.
