Peel Regional Police have arrested nine individuals and seized nearly 500 kilograms of cocaine in what officials are calling the largest drug bust in the department’s history. The operation, known as Project Pelican, targeted a sophisticated criminal network that used commercial transport trucks to smuggle cocaine across the U.S.-Canada border.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah hailed the year-long investigation as a “seismic blow” to transnational organized crime operating in the region. Launched in June 2024, the investigation identified a group of traffickers leveraging commercial trucking companies and storage facilities to distribute cocaine throughout Peel Region and the Greater Toronto Area.
Detective Sergeant Earl Scott said the probe intensified in November 2024 after receiving funding from the Criminal Intelligence Service of Ontario (CISO). Investigators then partnered with multiple national and international agencies, including the RCMP, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).
The collaboration led to key arrests and drug seizures at multiple border crossings. On February 11, 2025, CBSA officers discovered 127 kilograms of cocaine concealed in a commercial truck entering Windsor via the Ambassador Bridge. A second truck flagged on May 24 at the Blue Water Bridge near Sarnia was found to be carrying 50 kilograms of cocaine hidden in its trailer.
Further raids and coordinated search warrants executed on June 6 across Peel Region, Caledon, and Toronto involved more than 60 officers. The final tally from Project Pelican included 479 kilograms of cocaine—nearly half a metric tonne—worth an estimated $47.9 million on the street, as well as two semi-automatic firearms.
The nine suspects now face a total of 35 criminal charges. “These drugs were bound for our communities,” said Chief Duraiappah. “This investigation has prevented a massive influx of cocaine and disrupted a well-structured criminal enterprise with international ties.”