ON August 9, a commercial truck driven by an Ontario resident entered Canada at the Blue Water Bridge in Point Edward, Ontario, and was referred for a secondary inspection. During the examination, border services officers discovered and seized approximately 83 kg of suspected cocaine.

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) arrested Gurdeep Singh Mangat and transferred him and the suspected cocaine to the custody of RCMP officers from the Border Integrity Unit, Windsor Detachment, who are conducting the investigation.

The RCMP charged 46-year-old Mangat of Brampton, Ontario with:

• Importation of a controlled substance
• Possession for the purpose of trafficking

Mangat’s next scheduled court day is on August 19 at the Ontario Court of Justice in Sarnia. The investigation is ongoing.

The RCMP thanked the Lambton County Ontario Provincial Police for their “invaluable assistance” at the onset of this investigation.

“We are proud of our officers at the front line who work tirelessly to protect Canadians and keep drugs out of our communities. This seizure is another example of the ongoing cooperation that exists between the CBSA and the RCMP,” said An Nguyen, District Director, St. Clair District Operations, CBSA.

“I commend the CBSA and our RCMP officers who once again, through a joint effort contributed to keeping our communities safe. This collaboration demonstrates our continued commitment in working together to effectively disrupt the drug trade,” said Inspector Rae Groff, Acting Officer in Charge, RCMP Border Integrity Program, O Division.

Quick Facts

• If you have information about suspicious cross-border activity, contact the CBSA Border Watch Line at 1-888-502-9060.
• Anyone with information regarding criminal activity is encouraged to contact their local police, the RCMP at 1-800-387-0020 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.