Gurbakhash Grewal, Sukhwant Brar, Parminder Gill, all of Bramopton,  Amarbir Sarkaria, Harbaljit S. Toor, Harwinder Bhullar (female), all of Caledon, and Sarjant S. Dhaliwal, Gurveer Dhaliwal, Gurmanpreet Grewal, all of Kitchener are among those arrested in a six-month investigation dubbed “Project Brisa”, which targeted the importation of cocaine and crystal meth from Mexico to California and then into Canada through tractor-trailers. The investigation began in November 2020 and police alleged tractor-trailers were equipped with hydraulic traps capable of smuggling as much as 100 kilos of drugs in one trip.

By DESIBUZZCanada Staff With News Files

TORONTO – Nine Indo-Canadians are among 20 people arrested in one of Canada’s biggest take down of an international drug smuggling ring.

Gurbakhash Grewal, 37, Sukhwant Brar, 37, Parminder Gill, 33, all of Bramopton,  Amarbir Sarkaria, 25, Harbaljit S. Toor, 46, Harwinder Bhullar (female), 43, all of Caledon, and Sarjant S. Dhaliwal, 37, Gurveer Dhaliwal, 26, Gurmanpreet Grewal, 26, all of Kitchener are among those arrested in a six-month investigation dubbed “Project Brisa”, which targeted the importation of cocaine and crystal meth from Mexico to California and then into Canada through tractor-trailers.

The investigation began in November 2020 and police alleged tractor-trailers were equipped with hydraulic traps capable of smuggling as much as 100 kilos of drugs in one trip.

Toronto police say hundreds of kilos of illegal drugs and pills have been seized and several arrests were made in what they are calling a “takedown of a major international drug-smuggling ring.” 

Police found 1,000 kilograms of cocaine, crystal meth, and marijuana being transported between Canada, California, and Mexico.

The drugs were being transported in modified tractor trailers with hydraulic traps installed, capable of smuggling 100 kilograms of substance at a time. 

After executing several search warrants, police arrested 20 people from B.C., Toronto, Kitchener, Vaughn, Caledon and Brampton, including one under the age of 18, who are collectively facing 182 charges. Police said two people are still outstanding.

 “Throughout the project, investigators identified a person known as the ‘Trap Maker,'” Toronto police said in a release.

“This man was allegedly responsible for building hidden compartments within the tractor-trailers for the purposes of smuggling large amounts of contraband across borders.”

Police identified the person allegedly responsible for building hidden compartments in the trailers to be Jason Hall of Surrey, B.C., known as the “Trap Maker.” Hall turned himself in Toronto last week and has been charged with conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, and to participate in a criminal organization.  

The following items were seized by investigators:

444 kg of cocaine

182 kg of crystal meth

427 kg of marijuana

300 oxycodone pills

$966,020 in cash

21 vehicles, including 5 tractor-trailers

1 firearm

Police said the estimated street value of the drugs they claim that they seized is more than $61 million. Toronto police also said it is the largest drug bust in the service’s history.

Toronto police said Project Brisa was a collaboration between the Ontario Provincial Police, York Regional Police, and several other provincial government and American law enforcement agencies.

Charges against Sarjant Singh Dhaliwal, Gurveer Dhaliwal and Gurmanpreet Grewal include:

Sarjant Singh Dhaliwal:

  1. Four counts of Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence
  2. Four counts of Importation of a Schedule I Substance
  3. Four counts of Participate in a Criminal Organization
  4. Three counts of Commit an Offence for the benefit of a Criminal Organization
  5. Instruct to Commit an Offence for a Criminal Organization
  6. Two counts of Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Schedule I Substance
  7. Two counts of Possession of a Schedule I Substance

Gurveer Dhaliwal:

  1. Four counts of Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence
  2. Four counts of Importation of a Schedule I Substance
  3. Four counts of Participate in a Criminal Organization
  4. Three counts of Commit an Offence for the benefit of a Criminal Organization
  5. Four counts of Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Schedule I Substance

Gurmanpreet Grewal:

  1. Four counts of Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence
  2. Four counts of Importation of a Schedule I Substance
  3. Three counts of Participate in a Criminal Organization
  4. Three counts of Commit an Offence for the benefit of a Criminal Organization
  5. Instruct to Commit an Offence for the benefit of a Criminal Organization
  6. Four counts of Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Schedule I Substance

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-2500, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at www.222tips.com, online on our Facebook Leave a Tip page, or text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637).

WATCH ABOVE: The investigation dubbed “Project Brisa” seized more than one thousand kilos of illicit drugs in what police have called a sophisticated operation with drugs allegedly originating in Mexico and ending up in Canada. Marianne Dimain reports.