Arrest warrant issued for Kitchener, Ont. man after 130 kg of drugs seized

A stock image of shipping containers. (Pexels/Swapnil Sharma)

Two people, one from Kitchener and the other from Niagara Falls, are facing charges after more than 11 kilograms of suspected cocaine and 123 kilograms of cannabis were seized from shipping containers.

The investigation, which began back in February, involved multiple agencies including Border Enforcement Security Task Force (BEST), Canada Border Services Agency, Peel Regional Police, Toronto Police Service and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

According to a media release from Ontario Provincial Police, information led the team to a network of people involved in drug trafficking, including the exportation of illegal drugs.

Two search warrants were executed in May. As a result, $630,000 worth of suspected cocaine and illegal cannabis were found concealed within shipping containers at the Port of Montreal.

On June 27, BEST and several other police enforcement groups assisted with seven search warrants in Kitchener, Niagara Falls, Oakville and Brampton.

Damir Dedic, a 53-year-old from Kitchener, and Darko Tambur, a 37-year-old from Niagara Falls, are facing several charges related to trafficking, exporting and importing drugs.

Tambur has been arrested and released.

An arrest warrant has been issued for Dedic.

"Criminal networks continue to exploit our borders, and with partnerships such as the BEST force, we can curb their importation and exportation attempts. We will continue to investigate any person or group involved in criminal activity with a connection to our borders, and beyond,” said OPP Detective Superintendent Lee Fulford, in the release.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information on suspicious cross-border activity are asked to contact the CBSA Border Watch Line at 1-888-502-9060.