$14 million worth of cocaine headed to Canada; Brampton trucker charged

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in Detroit say they seized 339 pounds of cocaine during a routine check of a truck that was headed to Canada through Windsor.

Federal officers selected the Canada-bound commercial vehicle for examination and uncovered “bricks of a white powdery substance concealed within two duffel bags and four moving boxes,” according to information released by the CBP. Testing confirmed the substance was cocaine.

The street value of the drugs is estimated at $14 million in Canadian dollars.

A Brampton truck driver, Inwinderjit Singh Gill, now faces charges of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. The maximum prison sentence upon a conviction is 20 years.

“Our ports of entry are not throughfares for illegal drugs and we will continue to hold the line against transnational criminal activity,” said Acting Port Director David Beculheimer.

The cocaine was seized, along with the truck and trailer.

“We work diligently to enable fair, competitive, and compliant trade and a significant part of that is stopping those who seek to exploit import and export processes for illicit gain,” said Director of Field Operations Marty C. Raybon. “With the support of our regional law enforcement partners, we will continue to hold these bad actors accountable.”

The case remains under investigation by ICE Homeland Security Investigations.