The truck driver pays a deposit of PLN 50,000. dollars for the seizure of drugs on the Blue Water Bridge in the amount of $5 million, conspiracy defendants still in prison

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A truck driver has been released on bail while three others, including a Brampton trucking boss, are still in jail charged with conspiring to import cocaine after drug dealers were arrested at the Blue Water Bridge, which officials estimated was worth $100,000. over 5 million dollars.

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Border patrol officers on the Canadian side of the two-span bridge connecting the Sarnia and Michigan areas found about 460 kilograms – almost half a tonne – of cocaine packed in bricks in a trailer pulled by the suspect on June 11, an RCMP spokesman said. Weight is approximate and includes packaging, but the estimated street value – a conservative number representing sales at the kilogram level – is $5.5 million, a spokesman said.

A Canada Border Services Agency spokesman added that the investigation, which led to the discovery of cocaine in 27 bags, began on June 11 and continued until June 12.

Jasdeep Brar, 34, of Brampton was arrested and charged with importing cocaine and possessing cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, court documents say. But three more people — Inderpreet Singh, 26, Manideep Singh, 26, and Beant Bhatti, 35, all from the Toronto area — were arrested days later and charged with the same two offences along with an additional charge of conspiracy to import cocaine, documents show. Brar also now faces a conspiracy charge, which is dated April 15 to June 15.

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A spokesperson for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) declined to provide information about the three additional defendants and the conspiracy charge everyone is now hearing.

After a daylong bail hearing for Brar on June 20, Magistrate Judge Kelly Jackson returned with a June 24 decision ordering his release. The reasons for her decision, along with all evidence presented at the hearing, are subject to a publication ban that will remain in effect until the trial is over.

Brar’s bail plan could cost up to $50,000 if he’s caught breaking any of the laws. These include full house arrest with GPS tracking. He can only leave his home if he is with one of two bondsmen, going to hospital or court, but he can never leave Ontario.

He must also surrender his passport to the RCMP and cannot apply for a new one. He also cannot have custody or control of a commercial vehicle.

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Brar’s case returns to court on September 4.

Bhatti, who is listed as a key executive of Brampton-based Royal Bhatti Transport Inc., business directory website, Inderpreet Singh and Manideep Singh remain in the Sarnia jail while their lawyers work on bail plans. They will return to court next week.

All four defendants were banned from speaking to each other both inside and outside prison.

This is the third case this year involving drug smuggling via semi-trailer on the Canadian side of the Blue Water Bridge. Two drivers in their 30s, both from Toronto, were killed charged in March and April, respectively, also with importing cocaine. Both were released on bail, the latter for $200,000.

Since 2019, there have been at least 16 major drug busts on the Sarnia side – all but one involving trucks. Most of the cases involved cocaine, but border officials have also seized heroin and methamphetamine.

Just last week, a Toronto truck driver was found guilty of importation $3.6 million in cocaine across the bridge in 2022 and will be sentenced later this fall. A Brampton truck driver was recently sentenced to 11 years in prison there was also a non-truck driver from Brantford sentenced to 11 years in prison.

On Friday, a 26-year-old Brampton truck driver was found not guilty of all charges against him in connection with a $47 million drug theft on a bridge in January 2022.

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