Criminal connections to United States and Pakistan exposed
TEN South Asians were arrested and 80 charges laid following an eight-month-long Joint Forces Operation led by Peel Regional Police.
In the fall of 2017, members of Peel Regional Police Intelligence Services began an investigation focused on a group of individuals who were operating within the Region of Peel and were involved in a number of criminal offences including drug trafficking and importation, the trafficking of stolen property and fraud.
The investigation revealed that the criminal activity was taking place in Peel Region, the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and south-western Ontario.
This investigation exposed criminal connections to the United States and as far reaching as Pakistan.
“These arrests exemplify the excellent work our officers are doing to take drugs off the street and to put criminals behind bars. I want to thank Peel Regional Police investigators and all the member agencies for their involvement in this project. Criminal operations today are borderless, and the partnerships we have are vital to our success,” said Chief Jennifer Evans.
On August 30, eight simultaneous search warrants were executed across the province of Ontario resulting in the following arrests and charges:
* Ravi Shanker, 56, of Brampton:
Importation of heroin
Trafficking opioids
Possession of opioids for the purpose of trafficking
Possession of property obtained by crime (3 counts)
Possession of property for the purpose of trafficking (4 counts)
Trafficking in stolen goods over $5,000 (3 counts)
Conspiracy to commit indictable offence
Fraud over $5,000
* Gurinder Bedi, 52, of Brampton:
Importation of heroin
Trafficking opioids
Possession of opioids for the purpose of trafficking (4 counts)
Possession of property obtained by crime (5 counts)
Possession of property for the purpose of trafficking (4 counts)
Trafficking in stolen goods over $5,000 (2 counts)
Conspiracy to commit indictable offence
Fraud over $5,000
* Bhupinder Raja, 64, of Brampton:
Importation of heroin
Possession of property obtained by crime (3 counts)
Possession of property for the purpose of trafficking (4 counts)
Trafficking in stolen goods over $5000 (3 counts)
Conspiracy to commit indictable offence
* Azadali Damani, 63, of Kitchener, Ontario:
Importation of heroin
Conspiracy to commit indictable offence
Drive while disqualified
* Darshan Bedi, 71, of Woodstock, Ontario:
Fraud over $5,000
* Satnarine Ori, 35, of Brampton:
Possession of property obtained by crime (6 counts)
Possession of property for the purpose of trafficking (4 counts)
Trafficking in stolen goods over $5,000 (3 counts)
Theft over $5,000
* Sukhveer Brar, 28, of Brampton:
Possession of property obtained by crime
Trafficking in stolen goods under $5,000
* Gurpreet Dhillon, 39, of Brampton:
Possession of property obtained by crime (4 counts)
Possession of property for the purpose of trafficking (4 counts)
* Dilbag Aujla, 70, of Brampton:
Possession of opioids for the purpose of trafficking
*Karan Ghuman, 44, of Brampton:
Possession of opioid
Possession of property obtained by crime
Possession of property for the purpose of trafficking
This investigation resulted in the recovery and seizure of the following property:
– 2.6 kilograms of opium with a street value of $65,000
– 1.4 kilograms of heroin with a street value of $140,000
– 17 grams of methamphetamine with a street value of $1,700
– One kilogram of marijuana with a street value of $4,500
– $4.5 million of stolen tractor trailer cargo
– $50,000 in Canadian currency.
Given the complexity of the operation, Peel Regional Police investigators partnered with 13 other police organizations and other agencies to create a Joint Forces Operation. They included the Waterloo Regional Police Service, Halton Regional Police Service, York Regional Police Service, Toronto Police Service, Woodstock Police Service, RCMP, Ontario Provincial Police Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau’s Provincial Asset Forfeiture Unit, Hamilton Police Service, Canada Border Services Agency, Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada, Insurance Bureau of Canada, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency.
Anyone with any information in relation to this investigation is asked to contact Peel Regional Police Intelligence Services at 905-453-2121, ext. 8800. Information may also be left anonymously by calling Peel Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).