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Dozen charged in meth, coke ring

(Update)
A pipeline of high-quality drugs has been severed after a nine month long investigation that spanned the continent. A joint task force of police, and border services agents brought down the ring that reached from northern Mexico, to western Canada — and southern Ontario.
It seems that this loose association of three criminal cells — decided to by-pass the American middle-man and were bringing drugs directly from Mexico, to Canada. But it’s their background, that’s the real suprise in this case.
In terms of quality — these guys were ‘breaking badder ‘ than Walter White.
Inspector Steve Clegg of the OPP: “The methamphetamine seized was 100% pure meth.”
Frightening — but exactly what the team of Project Greymouth, was looking for.
Inspector Clegg: “What we see in such high-level product like that, being supplied by individuals, we know we’re at the source.”
And that source — had an unlikely origin.
Inspector Clegg: “We did associate from family links that they were part of the Mennonite community.”
Mennonites — from Chihuahua, Mexico — or at least suspects that could blend in, and prey on, the traditions of that community.
Dan Badour is with Canadian Border Services: “The principle targets involved in this investigation exploited the legitimate migration of workers from Mexico into Canada and back and forth across the border.”
Thousands of old order Mennonites hold dual citizenship between Canada and Mexico — and travel back and forth throughout the year to work on agricultural communities in both nations.
Police allege the suspects used that migratory pattern, to bring pure cocaine from Mexico — into western Canada, and southern Ontario. Some of it hidden in car parts, like a hollowed-out battery — making detection difficult.
Dan said: “We can’t dismantle every car that crosses the border.”
Through both criminal, and family ties — the drug dealers connected with partners on the fringe of the Mennonite community near Stratfordville in Norfolk County.
They were distrubuting meth — made in the GTA. What went back to Mexico was money. Bags of it. Police seized 89-thousand dollars in Canadian cash and 38-thousand in U.S. Dollars.
Last week — in a series of raids in Southern Ontario — police picked up a dozen suspects. Eight of them were from Norfolk County — loosely associated with a Mennonite community there.
One was of asian descent, from Toronto — believed to be connected to the production of methamphetamine. Two were from Kitchener — another man from Arthur.
Police said they believe those men were preparing to infiltrate Mennonite orders in that area — to expand their territory.
All have been charged with numerous offences, from possession, to trafficking, to possession of property obtained by crime. One man is still being sought, on an outstanding warrant.
Most of the suspects have already made at least one court appearance — and there will be several more. With this many suspects, jurisdictions, and charges involved, it will take many months for the crown to organize its case and bring the accused to court. But police say, in the mean time they’ve destroyed a major drug artery — and made several southern Ontario communities a little bit safer — in the process.