Toronto Police announced the seizure of $58 million of hard drugs including cocaine and methamphetamine, a new record for a single-day seizure.
Cops boasted about the feat of policing in a live-streamed Thursday morning press conference, officers outlining details of the busts in a room that appeared filled to the brim with bags of seized substances like a display of illicit chemical trophies.
The drugs were seized during the execution of search warrants at two suspected stash houses on Oct. 5.
Deputy Chief Pauline Grey said, “We are here this morning to announce the largest single-day drug seizure in the history of the Toronto Police Service on display in front of us is a staggering 671 kilograms of illicit drugs, 520 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine and 151 kilograms of cocaine.”
“A seizure of this size, quite frankly, is going to save lives.”
“I cannot understate the significance of a seizure of this size or the social cost these drugs would have inflicted on our communities,” Supt. Mandeep Man told reporters during a news conference.
“The drugs that were seized in the stash houses were destined for our neighborhoods. Intercepting the flow of these drugs has prevented possible overdoses, which we all know is an epidemic facing our communities as we speak.”
“The previous record, which was set in April of this year, the unit had seized 286 kilograms of cocaine and crystal methamphetamine at that time,” Mann told media, standing before rows upon rows of bagged and tagged packages of drugs.
Man said that police have identified three people in connection with the trafficking of the drugs and “anticipate arrests coming soon.”
“What you’re seeing here is a result of those warrants,” said Mann, adding that “The estimated street value of the drugs that you see here before you, the 671 kilograms, is approximately $58 million.”
“This particular seizure is diverting millions of dollars in drug profits from organized criminals and no doubt is having a positive impact on the safety and well being of our communities,” Man said of the latest bust.
“I want to again thank the dedicated members of our Toronto drug squad and our Asian Organized Crime Task Force. What you see here today is a result of their tireless work and their commitment to community safety.”
