Sunwing employees among 11 arrested in drug-trafficking probe: RCMP

Two Sunwing employees are among nearly a dozen people arrested in connection with a drug-trafficking ring that operated out of Toronto’s Pearson International Airport.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said that raids conducted throughout the week in Southern Ontario, including in Hamilton and Brantford, infiltrated several “high level” drug trafficking groups supplying fentanyl and other drugs in Ontario.

“The trafficking of fentanyl is a top priority for the law enforcement community in Canada. Undercover operations during this project saw police purchase approximately 9 kilograms of fentanyl and several kilograms of other illicit drugs over several transactions,” said RCMP in a news release. “These drugs could have been diluted significantly, meaning a much higher drug volume would have been distributed to the streets.”

RCMP says a Brantford man and three Hamilton residents are among 11 people charged in the investigation, dubbed project OWoofcraft. Investigators say those arrested face more than 40 drug-related charges.

The RCMP says the Sunwing employees worked at Toronto Pearson and have been employees of the airline for many years. They are charged with attempting to import cocaine and trafficking cocaine.

On Wednesday afternoon, RCMP officers wearing protective clothing were seen going in and out of a townhouse complex on Hamilton’s west mountain. Around the same time, more than a dozen RCMP vehicles lined the street near a complex on Brier Park Rd. in Brantford where officers executed another search warrant.

Raids were also carried out in Toronto, Durham, and Kitchener.

Officers seized roughly $10 million worth of drugs including fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine. They also seized about $400,000 in cash and three vehicles worth $170,000.

The investigation is still ongoing and police said more charges could be laid.