Members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Border Integrity Unit from the Toronto Airport Detachment executed a search warrant and arrested two males for various offences linked to the importation of MDMA from Italy via the United States.
The investigation began when the United States Customs and Border Protection intercepted a package containing 2978 MDMA pills destined for the Toronto area. They engaged investigators with US Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Effective and timely sharing of information between HSI, Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and RCMP investigators allowed police in Canada to quickly identify suspects and obtain a search warrant. Ammunition and documents were seized by the RCMP during the search of a rooming house in Scarborough, Ontario.
MDMA or Methylenedioxymethamphetamine is a mind-altering psychoactive drug commonly known as ecstasy.
Benny Zhang, 42 of Toronto, Ontario and Chunbao Chen, 35 of Scarborough, Ontario have both been charged with:
- Importation of a controlled substance into Canada, Section 6(1) Controlled Drugs and Substances Act;
- Possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking, Section 5(2) Controlled Drugs and Substances Act;
- Conspire to commit the indictable offence of importing a controlled substance into Canada, Section 465(1)(c) Criminal Code;
- Conspire to commit the indictable offence of possessing a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking, Section 465(1)(c) Criminal Code.
In addition, Chunbao Chen has been charged with resisting a peace officer contrary to Section 129(a) of the Criminal Code. Both accused have been released on undertakings and are scheduled to appear at the Old City Hall courthouse in Toronto on July 7, 2021.
“Transnational organized crime groups and their networks exploit every opportunity to support their illegal operations while causing immeasurable harm to our communities and country. This case demonstrates the value of effective and expedient communication and information sharing between law enforcement agencies. The RCMP is grateful to work alongside committed partners like the CBSA and HSI. We had the resources and expertise in place to act on this information and apprehend and charge these individuals,” stated Inspector Barry Dolan, Officer-in-Charge of the Toronto Airport Detachment of the RCMP.
“These arrests exemplify the incredible joint efforts between U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in dismantling cross-border criminal organizations from trafficking illicit narcotics across the border,” said U.S. Department of Homeland Security, HSI Toronto Assistant Attaché April Miller. “We will continue to work closely to keep drugs off our streets and our communities safe.”
