Canadian police seized 1.7 metric tons of cocaine, meth and opium worth $139M from a broker-style network using commercial trucking to move drugs across the U.S. border.
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Canadian and U.S. law enforcement agencies seized nearly 1.7 metric tons of illegal drugs and 17 firearms in an operation that uncovered a broker-style network using commercial trucking connections to move narcotics across the border. Authorities estimated the street value at more than $139 million.
Windsor Police launched Project Bay in January 2025. The Canada Border Services Agency joined the next month. Investigators identified an organization that relied on relationships within the commercial transportation sector to arrange cross-border drug movements. Drivers knowingly transported the illegal products inside legitimate supply chains, according to the joint law enforcement release.
Ontario Provincial Police later supported the cross-border and interprovincial portions. U.S. Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration assisted with international aspects. Toronto Police and Peel Regional Police also provided support.
Police executed 18 search warrants on June 25 across Windsor, Corunna, LaSalle, Brampton and Kleinburg. Two additional searches in Markham and Caledon followed on July 14. Two more in Brampton came on July 20.
The seizures included 973 kilograms of suspected cocaine, 660 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine, 49 kilograms of suspected opium and 230 oxycodone tablets. Officers found 17 firearms, including an anti-tank rifle, plus ammunition, brass knuckles, magazines and a baton. Investigators recovered C$80,000 and US$10,000, along with high-end jewelry, money counters, 43 cellphones and six laptops.
Authorities charged 21 people with 104 offenses under Canada's Criminal Code and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Police arrested 19 defendants during the operation. Two others remain wanted under outstanding warrants.
The OPP Provincial Asset Forfeiture Unit will examine possible offenses involving criminal proceeds and assist with taking property connected to alleged crimes. Project Bay's broader investigation remains active.
“This seizure reflects the scale of criminal activity that crosses borders and impacts communities across Ontario,” OPP Chief Superintendent Mike Stoddart said. He credited cooperation among municipal, provincial, federal and international partners. “We have significantly disrupted the flow of harmful substances,” Stoddart said. He also said authorities removed substantial profits from the criminal economy.
“This investigation began as the result of information obtained by the Windsor Police Service,” Chief Jason Crowley said. He said the operation later expanded across several Ontario jurisdictions. Crowley credited law enforcement partners with dismantling the network. He said the organization moved dangerous drugs and firearms into communities across the province.
CBSA's Southern Ontario region has seized 5,555 kilograms of illegal drugs at land ports this year and 206 firearms during that period. Regional Director General Michael Prosia credited cooperation among domestic and international agencies. He specifically thanked Ontario Provincial Police and Windsor Police for their work.
The case shows a vulnerability in the freight transport system. Criminal networks have placed illegal products inside legitimate supply chains by exploiting broker-style connections. For transportation companies, the risk is twofold: direct liability if a driver or subcontractor is caught, and regulatory scrutiny that could bring new compliance requirements. Trucking firms that rely on third-party dispatchers or spot-market loads face the highest exposure, because they have less control over who is actually moving the freight.
Freight brokers and carriers typically vet drivers through background checks and load documentation. The broker model uncovered in Project Bay used established relationships to bypass some of those checks, according to the police release. The network did not need to own trucks or employ drivers directly. It simply arranged for loads to be picked up by unsuspecting or complicit carriers.
That structure makes detection harder. Customs inspections at land ports have caught large quantities of drugs this year – the CBSA's Southern Ontario region alone has seized more than 5.5 metric tons – the volume moving through undetected may be larger. The 1.7 metric tons seized in Project Bay represents a single investigation, not a random sample.
For publicly traded transportation and logistics companies, the operational risk is manageable. A major seizure linked to a carrier's network could trigger customer audits, contract cancellations or higher insurance premiums. Smaller trucking companies that lack dedicated compliance teams are the most vulnerable.
The U.S. and Canadian governments have increased data-sharing on cross-border freight movements. The CBSA's Commercial Driver Registration Program already requires carriers to pre-file shipment data. Tighter rules around broker licensing or load tracking could follow if seizures at this scale continue.
Project Bay remains an active investigation. Before publication, FreightWaves contacted OPP for additional information about the transportation operation. OPP did not provide a response before publication. FreightWaves will update this article as officials release more details.
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