Ontario Police Seize 1.7 Tonnes of Drugs, Arrest 19
Project Bay led to the seizure of 1.7 tonnes of drugs, 17 firearms, and 19 arrests in one of Ontario’s largest investigations.
A sweeping cross-border drug trafficking investigation has resulted in the seizure of nearly 1.7 tonnes of illegal drugs, 17 firearms, and the arrest of 19 suspects, marking one of the largest drug enforcement operations by weight ever conducted in Ontario.
Authorities announced the results of Project Bay on July 23, 2026, during a joint press conference in Windsor, Ontario. The 18-month investigation brought together multiple Canadian law enforcement agencies alongside U.S. authorities to dismantle what police described as a sophisticated drug trafficking network operating through the commercial trucking industry.
Investigators seized approximately 973 kilograms of cocaine, 660 kilograms of methamphetamine, and 49 kilograms of opium, with an estimated street value of C$139 million. Police said the operation also led to the recovery of 17 firearms, including what officials described as a military-grade anti-tank rifle.
“The drugs in this room are not ending up in the hands of our communities’ vulnerable population,” Windsor Police Chief Jason Crowley said during the announcement.
“The firearms in this room are not sowing chaos in our communities.”
According to Andy Bradford, Acting Detective Superintendent and Director of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau, the anti-tank rifle was among the most alarming discoveries made during the investigation.
“It is very rare,” Bradford said. “This is a military ordnance. It has no legitimate civilian application.”
“The fact that it was in the hands of organized drug traffickers is a concerning public safety issue.”
Over the past two months, investigators executed more than 20 search warrants across Ontario, leading to 19 arrests and more than 100 criminal charges. Most of those arrested are from Brampton, while others reside in Toronto, Kitchener, and Barrie. Police said two additional suspects from Windsor remain outstanding.
Project Bay began in January 2025 as a drug trafficking investigation led by the Windsor Police Service. As investigators uncovered evidence of a much larger criminal network, the operation expanded to include the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).
In early 2026, investigators from the Toronto Police Service discovered they were pursuing many of the same suspects during a separate investigation in the Greater Toronto Area. That realization prompted Toronto Police and Peel Regional Police to join the wider operation.
Authorities also received assistance from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) after investigators linked the seized narcotics to trafficking routes connected to the southwestern United States.
Police say the investigation uncovered what they described as a “broker-style model” operating within the commercial transportation industry. According to Bradford, brokers allegedly coordinated shipments while commercial truck drivers knowingly transported concealed drugs hidden among legitimate cargo.
Bradford emphasized that the investigation should not reflect on the trucking industry as a whole.
“The overwhelming majority of individuals and businesses operating within the trucking and transportation industry are law-abiding professionals who play a critical role in our economy,” he said.
“However, criminal networks will attempt to exploit any vulnerability they perceive to further their criminal activity.”
Although Project Bay has largely concluded, investigators believe the intelligence gathered during the operation could lead to additional arrests and future drug seizures.
Crowley said the investigation highlights Windsor’s unique role as a border city in the fight against organized crime.
“As a border city, we are not just combatting local crime, we’re combatting crime that moves across international boundaries.”
The Canada Border Services Agency also confirmed that some of the narcotics were intercepted near the Blue Water Bridge in Sarnia, Ontario. With the Gordie Howe International Bridge expected to open on July 27, CBSA officials said they will closely monitor changing traffic patterns while using new detection technology to intercept narcotics, firearms, and other contraband entering Canada.
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