

Currently released so far... 12900 / 251,287
Browse latest releases
2010/12/01
2010/12/02
2010/12/03
2010/12/04
2010/12/05
2010/12/06
2010/12/07
2010/12/08
2010/12/09
2010/12/10
2010/12/11
2010/12/12
2010/12/13
2010/12/14
2010/12/15
2010/12/16
2010/12/17
2010/12/18
2010/12/19
2010/12/20
2010/12/21
2010/12/22
2010/12/23
2010/12/24
2010/12/25
2010/12/26
2010/12/27
2010/12/28
2010/12/29
2010/12/30
2011/01/01
2011/01/02
2011/01/04
2011/01/05
2011/01/07
2011/01/09
2011/01/10
2011/01/11
2011/01/12
2011/01/13
2011/01/14
2011/01/15
2011/01/16
2011/01/17
2011/01/18
2011/01/19
2011/01/20
2011/01/21
2011/01/22
2011/01/23
2011/01/24
2011/01/25
2011/01/26
2011/01/27
2011/01/28
2011/01/29
2011/01/30
2011/01/31
2011/02/01
2011/02/02
2011/02/03
2011/02/04
2011/02/05
2011/02/06
2011/02/07
2011/02/08
2011/02/09
2011/02/10
2011/02/11
2011/02/12
2011/02/13
2011/02/14
2011/02/15
2011/02/16
2011/02/17
2011/02/18
2011/02/19
2011/02/20
2011/02/21
2011/02/22
2011/02/23
2011/02/24
2011/02/25
2011/02/26
2011/02/27
2011/02/28
2011/03/01
2011/03/02
2011/03/03
2011/03/04
2011/03/05
2011/03/06
2011/03/07
2011/03/08
2011/03/09
2011/03/10
2011/03/11
2011/03/13
2011/03/14
2011/03/15
2011/03/16
2011/03/17
2011/03/18
2011/03/19
2011/03/20
2011/03/21
2011/03/22
2011/03/23
2011/03/24
2011/03/25
2011/03/26
2011/03/27
2011/03/28
2011/03/29
2011/03/30
2011/03/31
2011/04/01
2011/04/02
2011/04/03
2011/04/04
2011/04/05
2011/04/06
2011/04/07
2011/04/08
2011/04/09
2011/04/10
2011/04/11
2011/04/12
2011/04/13
2011/04/14
2011/04/15
2011/04/16
2011/04/17
2011/04/18
2011/04/19
2011/04/20
2011/04/21
2011/04/22
2011/04/23
2011/04/24
2011/04/25
2011/04/26
2011/04/27
2011/04/28
2011/04/29
2011/04/30
2011/05/01
2011/05/02
2011/05/03
2011/05/04
2011/05/05
2011/05/06
2011/05/07
2011/05/08
2011/05/09
2011/05/10
2011/05/11
2011/05/12
2011/05/13
2011/05/14
2011/05/15
2011/05/16
2011/05/17
2011/05/18
2011/05/19
2011/05/20
2011/05/21
2011/05/22
2011/05/23
2011/05/24
Browse by creation date
Browse by origin
Embassy Athens
Embassy Asuncion
Embassy Astana
Embassy Asmara
Embassy Ashgabat
Embassy Apia
Embassy Ankara
Embassy Amman
Embassy Algiers
Embassy Addis Ababa
Embassy Accra
Embassy Abuja
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Embassy Abidjan
Consulate Auckland
Consulate Amsterdam
Consulate Adana
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Embassy Bujumbura
Embassy Buenos Aires
Embassy Budapest
Embassy Bucharest
Embassy Brussels
Embassy Bridgetown
Embassy Bratislava
Embassy Brasilia
Embassy Bogota
Embassy Bishkek
Embassy Bern
Embassy Berlin
Embassy Belmopan
Embassy Belgrade
Embassy Beirut
Embassy Beijing
Embassy Banjul
Embassy Bangkok
Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan
Embassy Bamako
Embassy Baku
Embassy Baghdad
Consulate Barcelona
Embassy Copenhagen
Embassy Conakry
Embassy Colombo
Embassy Chisinau
Embassy Caracas
Embassy Canberra
Embassy Cairo
Consulate Curacao
Consulate Ciudad Juarez
Consulate Chennai
Consulate Casablanca
Consulate Cape Town
Consulate Calgary
Embassy Dushanbe
Embassy Dublin
Embassy Doha
Embassy Djibouti
Embassy Dili
Embassy Dhaka
Embassy Dar Es Salaam
Embassy Damascus
Embassy Dakar
Consulate Dubai
Embassy Helsinki
Embassy Harare
Embassy Hanoi
Consulate Ho Chi Minh City
Consulate Hermosillo
Consulate Hamilton
Consulate Hamburg
Consulate Halifax
Embassy Kyiv
Embassy Kuwait
Embassy Kuala Lumpur
Embassy Kinshasa
Embassy Kingston
Embassy Kigali
Embassy Khartoum
Embassy Kathmandu
Embassy Kampala
Embassy Kabul
Consulate Kolkata
Consulate Karachi
Embassy Luxembourg
Embassy Luanda
Embassy London
Embassy Ljubljana
Embassy Lisbon
Embassy Lima
Embassy Lilongwe
Embassy La Paz
Consulate Lahore
Consulate Lagos
Mission USOSCE
Mission USNATO
Mission UNESCO
Embassy Muscat
Embassy Moscow
Embassy Montevideo
Embassy Monrovia
Embassy Minsk
Embassy Mexico
Embassy Mbabane
Embassy Maputo
Embassy Manila
Embassy Manama
Embassy Managua
Embassy Malabo
Embassy Madrid
Consulate Munich
Consulate Mumbai
Consulate Montreal
Consulate Monterrey
Consulate Milan
Consulate Melbourne
Embassy Nicosia
Embassy Niamey
Embassy New Delhi
Embassy Ndjamena
Embassy Nassau
Embassy Nairobi
Consulate Naples
Consulate Naha
Embassy Pristina
Embassy Pretoria
Embassy Prague
Embassy Port Of Spain
Embassy Port Louis
Embassy Port Au Prince
Embassy Phnom Penh
Embassy Paris
Embassy Paramaribo
Embassy Panama
Consulate Peshawar
REO Basrah
Embassy Rome
Embassy Riyadh
Embassy Riga
Embassy Reykjavik
Embassy Rangoon
Embassy Rabat
Consulate Rio De Janeiro
Consulate Recife
Secretary of State
Embassy Suva
Embassy Stockholm
Embassy Sofia
Embassy Skopje
Embassy Singapore
Embassy Seoul
Embassy Sarajevo
Embassy Santo Domingo
Embassy Santiago
Embassy Sanaa
Embassy San Salvador
Embassy San Jose
Consulate Strasbourg
Consulate St Petersburg
Consulate Shenyang
Consulate Shanghai
Consulate Sapporo
Consulate Sao Paulo
Embassy Tunis
Embassy Tripoli
Embassy Tokyo
Embassy The Hague
Embassy Tel Aviv
Embassy Tehran
Embassy Tegucigalpa
Embassy Tbilisi
Embassy Tashkent
Embassy Tallinn
Consulate Toronto
Consulate Tijuana
USUN New York
USEU Brussels
US Office Almaty
US Mission Geneva
US Interests Section Havana
US Delegation, Secretary
UNVIE
Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Embassy Vilnius
Embassy Vienna
Embassy Vatican
Embassy Valletta
Consulate Vladivostok
Consulate Vancouver
Browse by tag
AE
ASEC
AS
AR
AMGT
AFIN
AORC
AU
AG
AF
APER
ABLD
ADCO
ABUD
AM
AID
AJ
AEMR
AMED
AL
ASUP
AN
AIT
ACOA
ANET
ASIG
AA
AGMT
AINF
AFFAIRS
ADANA
AY
AADP
ARF
ACS
AGR
AMCHAMS
AECL
AUC
APEC
APECO
AFGHANISTAN
ACAO
ASEAN
ADM
AGAO
AND
ADPM
ATRN
ALOW
AROC
APCS
AORG
AO
AODE
ACABQ
AX
AMEX
AZ
ARM
AQ
ATFN
AMBASSADOR
ACBAQ
AFSI
AFSN
AC
ASEX
AER
AVERY
AGRICULTURE
ASCH
AFU
AMG
ATPDEA
ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG
AORL
BR
BO
BA
BM
BL
BH
BK
BEXP
BILAT
BTIO
BF
BU
BD
BY
BE
BG
BB
BBSR
BT
BRUSSELS
BP
BX
BC
BIDEN
BMGT
BWC
BN
BTIU
CA
CS
CO
CD
CR
CPAS
CDG
CI
CDC
CBW
CU
CVIS
CE
CONS
CH
CMGT
CASC
CY
CW
CG
CJAN
CIDA
CODEL
CWC
CIA
CBSA
CEUDA
CFED
CLINTON
CAC
CL
CACS
CIC
CHR
CAPC
CM
CT
CTR
COM
CROS
CN
COPUOS
CV
CF
CARSON
CONDOLEEZZA
CICTE
CYPRUS
COUNTER
COUNTRY
CBE
CKGR
CVR
COUNTERTERRORISM
CITEL
CLEARANCE
COE
CARICOM
CB
CSW
CITT
CACM
CDB
CJUS
CTM
CAN
CLMT
CBC
CNARC
CIS
EFIN
ECON
ETRD
EAID
EC
EU
EUN
EINV
EG
ETTC
EIND
ELAB
EAGR
ECIN
EINT
ENRG
EFIS
ELTN
EAIR
EPET
EZ
ET
ENERG
ECPS
EWWT
EI
ETRN
EINVECONSENVCSJA
EEPET
EUNCH
ER
ES
EN
EMIN
ESENV
ENNP
ENGR
ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS
ENVI
ECINECONCS
ELN
EFTA
ELECTIONS
ENVR
EXTERNAL
ENIV
ESA
EPA
ETRO
ETRDECONWTOCS
EUR
ECUN
EXIM
EK
EUREM
ECONOMY
EUMEM
ERNG
EFINECONCS
EAIDS
ECA
ETRC
EINVEFIN
ETC
EAP
EINN
ECONOMIC
EXBS
ENGY
ECONOMICS
EIAR
EINDETRD
ECONEFIN
EURN
EDU
ETRDEINVTINTCS
ECIP
EFIM
EREL
EINVETC
ECONCS
ETRA
EAIG
EUC
ERD
IQ
IR
IS
IN
IA
IC
IZ
ICRC
ID
IDA
IT
IO
IAEA
ICJ
ICAO
IV
IBRD
IMF
IAHRC
IWC
ILO
ISLAMISTS
IGAD
ILC
ITU
ITF
INRA
INRO
ICTY
INRB
ITALY
IBET
IL
INTELSAT
ISRAELI
IMO
IDP
ICTR
ITRA
IRC
IRAQI
IEFIN
IPR
IIP
INMARSAT
ITPGOV
ITALIAN
INTERNAL
IRS
INTERPOL
IEA
INR
ISRAEL
IZPREL
IRAJ
IF
ITPHUM
IACI
INDO
KPAO
KMDR
KCOR
KNNP
KJUS
KCRM
KDEM
KVPR
KTFN
KPRP
KTIP
KSCA
KSUM
KTEX
KIDE
KIRF
KV
KTIA
KN
KG
KFRD
KWMN
KUNR
KISL
KU
KGHG
KPKO
KOMS
KPAL
KIPR
KMCA
KOMC
KRVC
KSEP
KAWC
KOLY
KWBG
KACT
KFLO
KHIV
KZ
KGIC
KBCT
KDRG
KBTR
KCFE
KE
KHLS
KMPI
KAWK
KPWR
KIRC
KRAD
KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KFLU
KPLS
KRIM
KSTH
KDDG
KPRV
KICC
KS
KSAF
KBIO
KREC
KCGC
KCIP
KTDB
KWAC
KPAI
KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KFSC
KSTC
KMFO
KID
KNAR
KMIG
KVRP
KNEI
KGIT
KNSD
KHDP
KSAC
KWMM
KR
KCOM
KAID
KENV
KVIR
KHSA
KO
KCRS
KPOA
KTER
KFIN
KSPR
KTBT
KX
KCMR
KMOC
KCRCM
KBTS
KSEO
KOCI
KNUP
KPAONZ
KNUC
KNNPMNUC
KERG
KSCI
KTLA
KCSY
KTRD
KMRS
KNPP
KJUST
KRCM
KCFC
KCHG
KREL
KFTFN
KLIG
KDEMAF
KGCC
KICA
KHUM
KSEC
KPIN
KESS
KDEV
KPIR
KWWMN
KOM
KWNM
KRFD
KRGY
KIFR
KWMNCS
KPAK
MARR
MOPS
MUCN
MCAP
MNUC
MEPP
MTCRE
MASS
MO
MIL
MX
MAS
MEDIA
MAR
MI
MQADHAFI
MPOS
MTCR
MK
MG
MA
MY
MU
ML
MPS
MW
MD
MARAD
MC
MR
MT
MTRE
MASC
MRCRE
MAPP
MZ
MP
MOPPS
MTS
MLS
MILI
MEPN
MEPI
MEETINGS
MERCOSUR
MCC
MIK
MAPS
MV
MILITARY
MDC
MASSMNUC
NI
NZ
NL
NO
NPT
NATO
NS
NU
NP
NPA
NSFO
NDP
NT
NW
NASA
NSG
NE
NORAD
NAFTA
NG
NATIONAL
NSSP
NV
NSF
NK
NA
NEW
NPG
NR
NGO
NIPP
NZUS
NH
NC
NRR
NAR
NATOPREL
NSC
OIIP
OPRC
OTRA
OEXC
OREP
OSCE
OVIP
OPAD
OBSP
OECD
OFFICIALS
OAS
OPDC
ODIP
OPCW
OES
OFDP
OPIC
OCS
OIC
OHUM
OSCI
OVP
ODC
OIE
OTR
OMIG
OSAC
OFDA
ON
OCII
PREL
PINR
PGOV
PARM
PE
PTER
PHUM
PO
PINS
PREF
PK
PM
POL
PBTS
PNAT
PHSA
PAS
PA
PL
PGIV
PHUMPREL
POGOV
PAK
PEL
PROP
PP
PINL
PBT
PTBS
PG
PINF
PRL
PALESTINIAN
PSEPC
POSTS
PAHO
PHUMPGOV
PGOC
PNR
PREFA
PMIL
POLITICS
POLICY
PROV
PBIO
PREO
PAO
PDOV
PGOF
POV
PCI
PRAM
PSI
POLITICAL
PAIGH
PJUS
PARMS
PROG
PTERE
PRGOV
PORG
PS
PKFK
PSOE
PEPR
PPA
PINT
PMAR
PRELP
PNG
PFOR
PUNE
PGOVLO
PHUMBA
POLINT
PGOVE
PHALANAGE
PARTY
PDEM
PECON
PY
PLN
PHUH
PF
PHUS
PU
PARTIES
PCUL
PGGV
PSA
PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA
RU
RS
REGION
REACTION
REPORT
RO
RW
RCMP
RSO
RP
RM
ROOD
RFE
RICE
ROBERT
RSP
RF
RELATIONS
RIGHTS
RIGHTSPOLMIL
RUPREL
SENV
SY
SNAR
SCUL
SP
SF
SW
SOCI
SU
SMIG
SO
SA
SR
SZ
SI
SC
SEVN
SN
STEINBERG
SK
SH
SNARCS
SPCE
SARS
SNARN
SG
SL
SYRIA
SIPRS
SAARC
SNARIZ
SWE
SYR
SEN
SCRS
SAN
ST
SIPDIS
SSA
SPCVIS
SOFA
SENVKGHG
SANC
SHI
SHUM
TU
TSPA
TBIO
TS
TRGY
TINT
TPHY
TN
TW
TH
TZ
TSPL
TP
TBID
TI
TF
TD
TT
TNGD
TL
TC
THPY
TIP
TX
TV
TK
TERRORISM
TO
TRSY
TURKEY
TFIN
TAGS
TR
UK
UNSC
UNGA
UNESCO
UNHRC
UP
UN
USTR
US
UNDC
UY
UNICEF
UNDP
UNMIK
UNAUS
UNCHC
UNCSD
USOAS
UNFCYP
UG
UNIDROIT
UNO
UV
UNHCR
UNEP
USEU
UZ
UNCND
USUN
UNCHR
USNC
USPS
USAID
UE
UNVIE
UAE
UNODC
UNCHS
UNFICYP
UNDESCO
UNC
UNPUOS
Browse by classification
Community resources
courage is contagious
Viewing cable 07TORONTO90, ILLICIT DRUG PRODUCTION AND TRAFFICKING IN ONTARIO
If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs
Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
- The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
- The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
- The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #07TORONTO90.
Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|---|
07TORONTO90 | 2007-03-08 08:59 | 2011-04-28 00:00 | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | Consulate Toronto |
VZCZCXRO9646
RR RUEHGA RUEHHA RUEHQU RUEHVC
DE RUEHON #0090/01 0670859
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 080859Z MAR 07
FM AMCONSUL TORONTO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1868
INFO RUCNCAN/ALCAN COLLECTIVE
RUEAHLC/HOMELAND SECURITY CENTER WASHDC
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
RUEWMCS/DEA HQS WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TORONTO 000090
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O.12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR SOCI PGOV KCRM CA
SUBJECT: ILLICIT DRUG PRODUCTION AND TRAFFICKING IN ONTARIO
Ref: 06 Ottawa 2645
Sensitive But Unclassified - protect accordingly.
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Police seizures and arrests during the past year
show that illegal drug activity, including cross-border smuggling,
continues to be a big problem in Ontario. Police have seized large
quantities of ecstasy, cocaine, and marijuana. They have discovered
and shut down nearly 300 indoor marijuana grow operations in the
Greater Toronto Area. Police recently uncovered several marijuana
trafficking rings operating at the Akwesasne First Nations Reserve,
which borders the U.S. in eastern Ontario. Police discovered two
large methamphetamine labs north of Toronto. Police believe
organized crime is behind much of the large-scale illegal drug
activity. END SUMMARY
Thousands of Pills: Ecstasy Produced in Large Amounts
--------------------------------------------- --------
¶2. (SBU) Three major examples from the past year - by no means the
only ones - include: In January 2006 Toronto Police charged nine
Greater Toronto Area (GTA) residents for their involvement in the
importation of approximately 4,500 kg of Chinese MDP2P, the main
ingredient used to produce Ecstasy tablets. This amount of MDP2P
could produce 30 million Ecstasy tablets. "Ecstasy production in
the GTA has been on the rise and recent investigations have shown
that this increase is tied to both domestic and international
markets," Supt. Ron Allen, Officer in charge of the GTA Drug Section
told the media at that time.
¶3. (SBU) In September 2006 the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)
arrested four Toronto residents and two Mississauga residents in
connection with an MDMA ring trafficking drugs between Canada and
the United States. The investigation was prompted by U.S.
authorities, who identified a Canadian source for MDMA distributed
in the U.S. Large amounts of the MDMA were allegedly exported, with
proceeds being funneled back into Canada. Those arrested are
charged with conspiring to export approximately 250,000 MDMA
tablets, worth approximately C$5 million, into the United States.
¶4. (SBU) In October 2006 a Canadian-American joint investigation
identified a Windsor-based criminal organization trafficking ecstasy
from the Toronto and Windsor areas into the U.S. During the 6 month
investigation, police intercepted approximately 55,000 tablets,
containing both ecstasy and methamphetamine. Police charged 16
Ontario residents and 9 Michigan residents. In August 2006 police
found 68,000 tablets of ecstasy, with an estimated street value of
C$1.3 million, in storage units in the west end of Toronto. A
Mississauga man, his parents, and an associate were charged with
various drug and weapon offenses.
Marijuana Grow-Ops a Constant Concern
--------------------------------------
¶5. (SBU) The U.N. Office of Drug Control (UNODC) estimates that 960
to 2,400 metric tons of marijuana is produced annually in Canada,
25% of which is produced in Ontario. Police dismantled over 270
indoor grow-ops in the GTA in 2006. In January 2007 Toronto police
told the press they have been discovering about one grow-op a day.
¶6. (SBU) Police note that most of these operations take place
outside high-density urban areas, due to lower real estate prices
and increased privacy. The average grow-op is in a private
residence, usually a detached house of between 2,500 square feet and
3,000 square feet, and contains some 400 - 500 plants, worth
C$400,000 - C$500,000. Greenhouse and clone technology in indoor
grow-ops allow for 4-6 harvests per year, as opposed to one or two
using traditional methods.
Akwesasne Reserve a Marijuana Smuggling Site
---------------------------------------------
¶7. (SBU) In December 2006 police seized 117 lbs of marijuana from a
resident in the Canadian portion of the Akwesasne Territory Mohawk
Reserve, an Indian reservation located on both sides of the
Canada-U.S. border on the east end of Lake Ontario. A 41 year-old
man was charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking. The
Awkesasne Territory Mohawk Reserve was also the site of another
cross-border bust on November 20, 2006. In that case, 12 people
were arrested after a 2 year investigation of a drug trafficking and
cigarette smuggling ring. According to the Cornwall RCMP,
cigarettes were manufactured in a factory located on the American
side of the reserve and smuggled into Canada by boat across the St.
Lawrence River. Profits from the cigarette sale were used to
purchase marijuana, which was then distributed in the U.S.
¶8. (SBU) The Akwesasne Reserve has historically been an attractive
site for smuggling and drug trafficking (see reftel). It straddles
TORONTO 00000090 002 OF 003
the Ontario-Quebec provincial border and spans the Canada-U.S.
border. The Reserve is known as the St. Regis Mohawk Reserve in New
York. The 401 Trans-Canada highway is conveniently located just
outside the reserve, providing direct routes west to Toronto and
east to Montreal. Federal police estimate that C$1 billion in drugs
and contraband flow internationally through the reserve each year.
Cocaine Imported, Marijuana Exported
-------------------------------------
¶9. (SBU) Large recent cocaine seizures in Ontario may indicate
sizable drug pipelines operating across borders. Ontario-grown
marijuana, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), is
often exported to the U.S. in exchange for cocaine. Such an
operation was dismantled in May 2006 by Toronto Police and U.S. law
enforcement agencies, which seized 48 kg of cocaine, worth an
estimated C$1.5 million; 1,200 lbs of marijuana, worth an estimated
C$3.6 million; and 200 Ecstasy tablets. Authorities charged 24
people with 250 drug-related charges. Trucks, cars, and boats, 14
of which were seized by police, were used to transport the marijuana
across the border, where it was sold. The proceeds from the sale
were used to purchase cocaine in the U.S, which was then imported
back into Canada.
¶10. (SBU) In February 2007 Canadian Border Services Authority (CBSA)
officers seized 171 kg of cocaine at the Ambassador Bridge in
Windsor, worth C$21 million, one of the largest cocaine seizures
ever made at a Canadian land border crossing. Two men, a
Mississauga resident and a Brantford resident, were charged with the
importation of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled
substance for the purpose of trafficking.
¶11. (SBU) In February 2007, Halton Regional Police (west of the GTA)
found more than 200 kg of uncut cocaine, worth C$20 million, inside
a transport truck which entered Canada from the U.S. Investigators
believe that the drugs were destined for a distributor, and that
organized crime was involved. The driver of the truck, a Brampton
resident, was arrested for drug trafficking.
¶12. (SBU) On February 13, 2007 Ottawa Police busted a cocaine and
ecstasy ring, believed to have been distributing between 30 and 50
kg of cocaine per month. Four Montreal area raids and eight Ottawa
area sites led to the arrest of 18 people, including the head of the
ring. Together, they face 138 drug, weapons, and criminal activity
charges. The operation seized a variety of drugs (22 kg of cocaine,
12 kg of Ecstasy, 729 grams and 176 plants of marijuana), worth
C$3.3 million.
Meth 'Super-labs' also Raided in Ontario
-----------------------------------------
¶13. (SBU) A methamphetamine 'super-lab' bust on February 16, 2007
resulted in the seizure of approximately 21 lbs of powdered
methamphetamine, worth over C$950,000; 1.75 lbs of crystal
methamphetamine worth C$148,000; and precursor chemicals. The lab,
one of the largest methamphetamine labs ever discovered in Ontario
according to the OPP, was discovered in a rental cottage in
Gooderham, Ontario, 200 km northeast of Toronto. One Mississauga
man was charged with the production of a controlled substance and
possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking.
¶14. (SBU) Last June police seized 35 kg of methamphetamine at a
well-hidden methamphetamine 'super-lab' near Lion's Head, 200 km
northwest of Toronto. Police also seized 25 kg of the precursor
drug ephedrine and charged one Kitchener resident with possession
for the purpose of trafficking and one Mexican citizen with making
and possessing a controlled substance and conspiracy. According to
the RCMP Drug Report for 2006, while methamphetamine lab activity
continues to be most prevalent in the West, it is rapidly spreading
across Canada. The number of production sites discovered in Ontario
ranks second only to British Columbia.
Organized Crime Profiting From Illegal Drug Trade
--------------------------------------------- ----
¶15. (SBU) It seems clear that organized crime is involved in the
drug trade. An investigation of the outlaw biker organization
Hell's Angels culminated in mass raids across the province on
September 30, 2006. Police seized C$2.9 million worth of drugs,
including 50,000 ecstasy tablets, 13 kg of cocaine, and 2 kg of
crystal methamphetamine. According to the 2006 Organized Crime
Report by the Criminal Intelligence Service of Canada, street gangs,
80 of which are active in Toronto, mainly traffic the drugs that are
provided by higher level criminal organizations, such as biker
gangs.
¶16. (SBU) COMMENT: Police suspect organized criminal groups have
TORONTO 00000090 003 OF 003
become increasingly involved in both the large-scale production and
distribution of synthetic drugs, notably ecstasy and cocaine. The
sophisticated drug producing capabilities of the raided sites and
large volumes seized of precursor drugs, weapons, currency, boats,
and vans point to the involvement of organized crime. These
criminal organizations are looking for efficiency; they are
producing multi-kilogram quantities at well-hidden "super-labs," and
using imported MDP2P to speed the production process. Marijuana
grow operations have also become increasingly well-hidden, setting
up in suburban areas and keeping up the appearance of
well-maintained family homes, often with young families living
within these residences. Law enforcement officials find detection
of this kind of grow-op particularly difficult.
¶17. (SBU) COMMENT (continued): Senior provincial officials tell us
they are challenged by the illegal drug activity but are committed
to aggressively tackling the problem. Toronto-resident U.S. law
enforcement officials note that cooperation with provincial and
federal law enforcement officials on this type of cross-border cases
is excellent.
NAY