U.S. authorities say 19 men have been indicted as part of a drug-smuggling operation that involved large quantities of narcotics moved from Mexico across the U.S. and Canada by long-haul truckers.
The cross-border investigation dubbed “Operation Dead Hand” by the FBI led to the arrest of Roberto Scoppa, a Montreal man alleged by authorities to be a large-scale Canadian trafficker and Italian Mafia figure.
Authorities also arrested Guramrit Sidhu, a resident of Brampton, Canada, also known as “King,” who is alleged to have orchestrated the purchase of hundreds of kilograms of drugs and hired a network of truck drivers to transport the drugs from California across the Canadian border.
“This conspiracy spanned three countries and involved drug suppliers connected to cartels in Mexico, drug distributors and brokers in Los Angeles, Canadian truck drivers and a network that exported drugs into Canada, and even an associate of the Italian Mafia in Montreal,” U.S. attorney Martin Estrada said at a news conference in Los Angeles on Tuesday.
Investigators believe the organized crime group used Canadian “handlers” and “dispatchers” who traveled from Canada to Los Angeles to arrange shipments, according to a news release.
The handlers allegedly coordinated the pickup and delivery of large shipments of cocaine and methamphetamine, which were loaded onto tractor-trailers headed for Canada. Large quantities of fentanyl were seized during the investigation, authorities said.
The transportation was coordinated by a network of drivers working with dozens of trucking companies. The truckers made numerous border crossings from the U.S. to Canada via the Detroit Windsor Tunnel, the Buffalo Peace Bridge and the Blue Water Bridge.
The indictments allege the drug organization moved approximately 845 kilograms (1,860 pounds) of methamphetamine, 951 kilograms (2,092 pounds) of cocaine, 20 kilograms (44 pounds) of fentanyl and 4 kilograms (nearly 9 pounds) of heroin. Over $900,000 in cash was seized during the investigation. The estimated wholesale value of the narcotics seized was $16 million to $28 million.
Authorities said 10 of the 19 named in the indictments have been arrested in recent days in cities that include Los Angeles and Sacramento, California; Miami; Odessa, Texas; and Montreal, Toronto and Calgary in Canada.
If convicted, each defendant could face maximum penalties ranging from 40 years to life in federal prison. Sidhu would face a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years in prison.
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