Montréal, Wednesday, June 4, 2008 – Earlier today, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police dismantled an alleged criminal organization specialized in importing cocaine at the Pierre-Elliot-Trudeau International Airport in Montréal.
Some sixty RCMP officers took part in Operation Conclusion this morning with the assistance of the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal. This Operation is the result of an investigation launched in August 2006 by the RCMP Airport Federal Investigation Section.
The officers arrested eight men, including three employees of Entreprises Cara, a company specialized in providing catering services to the travel industry and which provides services at the Pierre-Elliot-Trudeau International Airport.
Six of the eight individuals arrested will be charged. They are Antonio Giancola, 41, Mohammed Sheikh, 34, Antonino Sciortino, 41, Jorge Hernan Vargas, 33, Emmanuel Costa, 41, all of Montréal, >as well as Dickens Jolicoeur, 36, of Le Gardeur. They face a total of 17 charges under Section 6 of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act for importing drugs and Section 465 of the Criminal Code for conspiracy to import drugs.
Searches conducted earlier in the investigation had led to the seizure of a total of 16 kilograms of cocaine, four Toyota vehicles and two firearms. The drugs were found at the airport during inspections by Canada Border Services Agency which uncovered a first shipment of 5 kg of cocaine, a second one of 9 kg, and a third one of 2 kg. The stolen vehicles were seized in Rivière-des-Prairies, in a container bound for Africa through the Port of Montréal. Charges of theft and possession of stolen goods were filed against Dickens Jolicoeur, John Peters, 36, and Renato Lizzi, 37, in this part of the investigation conducted in April by the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal.
Also in April, officers of the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal conducted two searches which led to the seizure, among other things, of small amounts of cocaine, substances used to cut cocaine and two handguns. Charges of possession of drugs and weapons were filed against Jorge Vargas, 33, Julian Vargas, 22, and Christian Reinales, 34.
The investigation is still ongoing which means that more arrests could be made. The RCMP Airport Federal Investigation Section investigators worked closely with the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal and Canada Border Services Agency. They were also able to rely on the collaboration Entreprises Cara’s Security Department.
The members of the Airport Federal Investigation Section, which is a component of the RCMP Border Integrity, are responsible for countering any threat and combating organized crime, thereby contributing to national security.
The RCMP is responsible for federal statute investigations - such as those involving drugs and other contraband - at all of Canada’s airports including Pierre-Elliot-Trudeau Airport, while the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal is responsible for enforcing airport security legislation as well as provincial statutes and Criminal Code offences.
(Click on photos to enlarge)
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