An Innisfil resident is one of two people charged after alleged smuggling attempts went south at the Canadian-American border recently.
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) announced March 20 the seizure of about 419 kilograms of suspected cocaine from two separate incidents at the Blue Water Bridge port of entry in Point Edward, Ont. The drugs have an estimated street value of more than $11 million.
Working with law enforcement partners, the CBSA’s National Targeting Centre identified two commercial shipments potentially containing narcotics bound for Canada from the United States.
Based on this intelligence, on Feb. 27, a commercial truck coming from the U.S. was referred for a secondary examination. During the inspection of the trailer, border services officers seized four duffel bags containing about 86 kg of suspected cocaine, with an estimated value of $2.3 million.
As a result, Innisfil resident Pawandeep Dhillon, 34, was charged under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act with importation of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking.
Then, on March 6, the CBSA referred another tractor-trailer coming from the U.S. for a secondary examination. Border services officers seized 333 kg of suspected cocaine from the trailer of the commercial load, with an estimated value of $9 million.
The RCMP then charged Ravinderbir Singh, 23, of Brampton, with importation of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking.
The drivers and the suspected narcotics were transferred into the custody of the RCMP. Both matters are currently before the Ontario Court of Justice in Sarnia.
“This is a prime example of the strength that our law enforcement organizations provide to Ontario and Canada through partnerships and co-operation,” RCMP Supt. Dale Foote said in a news release. “We value these partnerships and continue to serve Canadians, shoulder to shoulder, in combatting the illegal importing of drugs into Canada and more specifically, Ontario.”
Since the start of 2025, the Southern Ontario CBSA region has seized more than $68 million worth of narcotics coming from the U.S.
“I want to thank our border services officers, our intelligence team and the National Targeting Centre, and our RCMP partners who have been ever-vigilant in detecting and stopping illegal drugs from entering our country,” CBSA acting regional director general Michael Prosia said.
Anyone with information regarding criminal activity is encouraged to contact their local police department, the RCMP at 1-800-387-0020 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. Those with details about suspicious cross-border activity should call the CBSA Border Watch Line at 1-888-502-9060.
