B.C. man nicknamed 'Trap Maker' one of 20 people arrested in $61M Toronto drug bust
A Surrey, B.C., man dubbed the “Trap Maker” by Toronto police is one of 20 people arrested as part of a $61 million drug seizure.
The suspects are facing 182 charges in total after cocaine, crystal meth and marijuana were seized in what authorities are calling the largest drug seizure in Toronto Police Service history.
“Project Brisa” allegedly found a group of smugglers using trap door compartments in tractor-trailers to move up to 100 kilograms of drugs at a time from Mexico and California into Canada via Ontario border crossings.
Investigators allege the traps were built and installed by a 43-year-old man from Surrey, identified as Jason Hall.
CTV News obtained Hall’s address through court documents and neighbours say there was a large search of the property about two weeks ago.
“It was really early in the morning all of a sudden police had this whole area all shut down and they wouldn’t even let me out of the yard,” said neighbour Robert Nowak. “I figured something serious had happened there, I couldn't believe how many police cars were here.”
Staff Sgt. Lindsey Houghton with Surrey RCMP said she couldn’t comment on the investigation as it is being conducted by Toronto police, but in an email said: “I can say that Mr. Hall has no previous criminal convictions in B.C. that I am aware of.”
In May, police executed 35 search warrants in Toronto, the Greater Toronto Area, Sarnia, London, Guelph, Kitchener, Montreal, Halifax, Surrey, Calgary and Winnipeg.
They allegedly seized 444 kilograms of cocaine, 157 kilograms of crystal meth, 427 kilograms of marijuana and 300 oxycodone pills.
They also found $966,000 in cash and seized five tractor-trailers and several other vehicles including a Mercedes G-Wagon.
Investigators also seized one Glock handgun. Two other suspects are still wanted.
With files from CP24's Chris Herhalt
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What's a Barnacle? It's yellow, sticks and screams if you try to pry it off your car
Barnacles, bright yellow devices used to make sure parking scofflaws pay their tickets, could soon be making their way to cities across Canada.
They were from different countries and barely spoke each other's languages. More than 20 years later, they're still happily in love
He decided to spend Christmas somewhere that wouldn't involve snowstorm disasters. She was spending the holidays with family, travelling for the first time outside of her native country of Venezuela. 23 years later, they're still in love.
Man who set himself on fire outside Trump trial dies of injuries, police say
A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former U.S. President Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Verdun Airbnb listing taken down amid complaints, fines and frustration from neighbours
An Airbnb in Montreal's Verdun borough was the source of much frustration from neighbours who say there were constant parties at the location. It has been taken down from the app, but housing advocates remain upset about short-term rentals.
Fire in Labrador town under control, officials tells residents to stay away
RCMP say the fire that prompted a state of emergency in a Labrador town is now under control.
12 students and teacher killed in Columbine school shooting remembered at 25th anniversary vigil
Thirteen victims of the Columbine High School shooting were remembered during a vigil Friday on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the shooting that was the worst the nation had seen at the time.
Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza city of Rafah kills at least 9 Palestinians, including 6 children
An Israeli airstrike on a house in Gaza's southernmost city killed at least nine people, six of them children, hospital authorities said Saturday, as Israel pursued its nearly seven-month offensive in the besieged Palestinian territory.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.