Montréal (Quebec), June
19, 2007 – The Canada Border Services
Agency (CBSA) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) have seized
close to 160 kilograms of cocaine in buckets of frozen mango puree transported
by container from Mexico.
Five Mexicans, holding a visitor status in Canada, were arrested and are detained
with respect to this import. They are: Juan Manuel Huerta Canela, age 31, Jose
Gerardo Bernal Vasquez, age 52, Jose Luis Navarro Ochoa, age 33, Jesus Manuel
Villa Quiroz, age 32, and Alfonso Strag Estrada, age 50. The suspects are charged
with importing and possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking.
In buckets of frozen mango puree
Indicators lead the CBSA to target a container originating in Mexico in
the Port of Montréal. The vigilance of a border services officer
at the Container Examination Center in Montréal, combined with the
use of various contraband detection tools, enabled the CBSA to find and
seize the cocaine. The drug was bagged in individual plastic packets of
roughly 4 kilograms each.
(Click on photos to enlarge)
The investigation lead by federal officers of the RCMP Drug Section, in
collaboration with CBSA Intelligence officers, the Marine Security Enforcement
Team and the Port of Montréal Security Group, revealed that the
alleged drug importers operated under the cover of a company created in
2005 under the name Quality Mexport.
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For media information
Canada Border Services Agency
Communications Office
514-350-6130
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Communications Office
514-939-8308
