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The Sudbury connection to Mexican meth found in new car tires

Employees at Belanger Ford in Chelmsford tipped off police to strange bundles found in new car tires
crystal meth opp 2016
Greater Sudbury Police assisted in the investigation of a large methamphetamine smuggling operation that saw 180 kg of the drug brought into Canada in the spare tires of new cars. (File)

One of the more unusual illicit drug smuggling cases in recent years has a Sudbury connection, and it may be connected to Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel.

Greater Sudbury Police assisted in the investigation of a large methamphetamine smuggling operation that saw 180 kg of the drug brought into Canada in the spare tires of new cars.

Ontario Provincial Police say they found 180 kg of meth during the investigation, which began when employees at four different Ford dealerships reported suspicious bags inside tires that were in the trunks of new Ford Fusion cars.

One of the dealerships that reported the suspicious packages was Belanger Ford in Chelmsford. An employee at Belanger contacted Greater Sudbury Police Service on Dec. 19, 2018.

"Our K9 Unit responded, as well as a detective from the Drug Enforcement Unit. The drugs were seized and tested at headquarters using our ion scanner and the results indicated methamphetamine," said GSPS spokesperson Kaitlyn Dunn.

Ontario Provincial Police said the cars were built at Ford's assembly plant in Hermosillo, Mexico, before being put on northbound trains.  

"The powerful Sinaloa Cartel is well entrenched in that area of Mexico," said OPP Supt. Bryan MacKillop. "We are very certain that they are ultimately responsible for these drugs."

He said authorities first became aware of the drugs in December when Ford dealership employees in four Ontario communities — Chelmsford, Collingwood, Bolton and Newmarket — called police about the beige-taped packages that lined the tires.

The investigation, dubbed Project Sebright, ballooned to involve the Canada Border Services Agency, Greater Sudbury Police, police in New Brunswick, Quebec provincial police and Ford. Police said nine of 14 vehicles from the same shipment, found at 13 different Ontario dealerships, contained meth.

"Our Drug Enforcement Unit received a call from the Ontario Provincial Police the next day regarding similar incidents in other jurisdictions and we worked in collaboration with the OPP from the point forward," said Dunn.

Authorities have continued to search vehicles coming into the country from Mexico, but have yet to find more drugs.

"That tells us that this method of smuggling has been successfully disrupted," said MacKillop.

Police said they haven't laid charges and are still investigating. MacKillop said investigators believe the "logistics" of the alleged smuggling operation failed, which led to the drugs continuing on to dealerships.

"I don't think that's what they wanted," MacKillop said.

He also said police don't know when or where the cars were "exploited," other than saying those responsible were the Sinaloa Cartel, which was once led by drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, who was found guilty recently of drug trafficking and murder conspiracy charges in New York.

Police noted the "creative means" to smuggle drugs into the country.

"As we know from past drug smuggling investigations it is not uncommon for a criminal organization to resort to creative means to hide illicit drugs within legal cargo," MacKillop said.

OPP deputy commissioner Rick Barnum said meth has become a problem in Canada.

"The use of methamphetamine is on the rise," Barnum said. "The number of meth seizures has continued to grow since 2010."

-with files from Canadian Press