South Asians charged in large-scale international drug trafficking network

INVESTIGATORS with the York Regional Police Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau, in partnership with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Peel Regional Police, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, dismantled a large-scale international drug trafficking network that extended to Western Canada, the United States and India.

In May 2020, officers began an investigation, dubbed Project Cheetah, into a robust network involved in importing large quantities of cocaine, ketamine, heroin and opium into Canada. The drugs were then distributed across the country through a sophisticated system run by the traffickers.  

On Thursday April 8, 2021, police in Ontario, British Columbia and California executed more than 50 search warrants, resulting in 33 people charged with more than 130 criminal offences.

Officers seized approximately $2.3 million worth of drugs including: Ten kilograms of cocaine, eight kilograms of ketamine, three kilograms of heroin and 2.5 kilograms of opium. Investigators also seized 48 firearms and $730,000 in Canadian currency.

The Toronto Star listed the following:

Parshotem Malhi, 54, of Brampton, is charged with trafficking methamphetamine, heroin (six counts) and possession for the purpose of trafficking of heroin, methamphetamine, possession of property obtained by crime (six counts) and possession of identity documents.

Rupinder Dhillon, 37, of Brampton, is charged with possession of methamphetamine and heroin for trafficking.

Sanveer Singh, 25, of Brampton, is charged with failure to comply with an order and possession of a controlled substance.

Haripal Nagra, 45, of Brampton, is charged with heroin trafficking and possession of opium for the purpose of trafficking.

Hassam Syed, 30, of Brampton, is charged with heroin trafficking and possession of heroin and methamphetamine

Pritpal Singh, 56, of Brampton, is charged with heroin trafficking and possession for the purpose of trafficking of heroin, cocaine and opium, possession of property obtained by crime (three counts) and possession of counterfeit money.

Harkiran Singh, 33, of Brampton, is charged with possession of heroin for the purpose of trafficking and possession of property obtained by crime.

Lakhpreet Brar, 29, of Brampton, is charged with trafficking heroin, ketamine (three counts), opium (three counts), conspiracy to traffic ketamine, opium and heroin and possession of property obtained by crime (four counts).

Didy Adansi, 52, of Toronto, is charged with trafficking ketamine (two counts), conspiracy to traffick ketamine, possession of methamphetamine and possession of the proceeds of crime.

Sarbjit Singh, 43, of Woodstock, is charged with trafficking ketamine (three counts) conspiracy to traffic ketamine and possession of property obtained by crime.

Balwinder Dhaliwal, 60, of Brampton, is charged with trafficking cocaine (two counts) and possession of property obtained by crime (two counts) and conspiracy to traffic cocaine.

Rupinder Dhaliwal, 39, of Toronto, is charged with trafficking heroin (two counts), opium and ketamine, possession of property obtained by crime, possession for the purpose of trafficking of heroin, possession of methamphetamine and ketamine, failure to comply with recognizance and conspiracy to traffic ketamine.

Ranjit Singh, 40, of Toronto, is charged with failure to comply with a release order and probation, possession of heroin and possession of ketamine for the purpose of trafficking.

Sukhmanpreet Singh, 23, of Brampton, is charged with heroin possession.

Rupinder Sharma, 25, of Vaughan, is charged with heroin and methamphetamine possession.

Prabhsimaran Kaur, 25, of Vaughan, is charged with possession of heroin.

Khushal Bhinder, 36, of Brampton, is charged with trafficking cocaine, conspiracy to traffic cocaine, possession for the purpose of trafficking of cocaine and opium and possession of property obtained by crime.

Prabhjeet Mundian, 34, of Brampton, is charged with possession of cocaine and opium for the purpose of trafficking and possession of property obtained by crime.

Vansh Arora, 24, of Brampton, is charged with trafficking cocaine, conspiracy to traffic cocaine, possession of cocaine and opium for the purpose of trafficking and careless storage of ammunition.

Simranjeet Narang, 28, of Brampton, is charged with trafficking opium and cocaine (two counts), conspiracy to traffic opium and cocaine and possession of property obtained by crime (three counts).

Harjinder Jhaj, 38, of Caledon, is charged with trafficking ketamine and conspiracy to traffic ketamine and possession of property obtained by crime (two counts).

Gaganpreet Gill, 28, of Brampton is charged with cocaine trafficking.

Sukjit Dhaliwal, 47, of Brampton, is charged with possession of heroin for the purpose of trafficking and possession of methamphetamine and oxycodone.

Imran Khan, 33, of Toronto, is charged with trafficking ketamine and possession of property obtained by crime.

Chinedu Ajoku, 51, of Brampton, is charged with heroin trafficking.

Harjot Singh, 31, of Brampton, is charged with heroin trafficking (two counts) and methamphetamine trafficking.

Sukhjit Dhugga, 35, of Brampton, is charged with trafficking ketamine, conspiracy to traffic ketamine, possession of ketamine for the purpose of trafficking and possession of property obtained by crime.

Gurbinder Sooch, 41, of no fixed address, is charged with trafficking ketamine (five counts), possession of property obtained by crime (four counts), conspiracy to traffic ketamine, trafficking opium, trafficking heroin (two counts), conspiracy to import heroin and fail to comply with a release order.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the York Regional Police Organized Crime and Intelligence Services at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 7818, or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-tips, leave an anonymous tip online at www.1800222tips.com.