Historic $83M Cocaine Bust in Toronto Tied to Mexican Cartel, Police Say

Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw speaks to media behind a wall of seized drugs during a press conference announcing the seizure of 835 kilograms of cocaine, in Toronto on Jan. 21, 2025. The Canadian Press/Cole Burston

Toronto police have announced a record seizure of $83 million worth of cocaine, saying it could be linked to a Mexican cartel.

The 835 kilograms of cocaine seized is alleged to have the “hallmarks” of coming from Mexico’s Jalisco New Generation cartel, Toronto Police Service (TPS) Chief Myron Demkiw said during a Jan. 21 press conference, calling it the “largest cocaine seizure in the history” of the service.

Based in the western Mexican state of Jalisco and known in Spanish as Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), the cartel is described as “one of the fastest-growing” criminal organizations in the country and the only cartel with a national presence, according to a report by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

The report said CJNG is recognized for its “brutality, brazenness, and aggressiveness,” and is involved in kidnapping, human trafficking, and other violent crimes.

The letters CJNG for the group Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación, is scrawled on the facade of an abandoned home, in El Limoncito, in the Michoacan state of Mexico, on Oct. 30, 2021. AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo

The cocaine bust is the result of “Project Castillo,” an extensive joint forces investigation into drug trafficking in the Greater Toronto Area. Launched in August 2024, the operation was led by the TPS Drug Squad, with support from York Regional Police, the Canada Border Services Agency, and the RCMP Windsor Border Integrity Unit, according to a Jan. 21 press release.

Six individuals were arrested in connection with cocaine trafficking, including two Mexican nationals and four Canadians, according to the release.

Mexican nationals Jorge Luis Mundo Garcia, 31, and Jimenez Avila Rodolfo, 28, face charges of possession of a Schedule I substance for trafficking and possession of proceeds of crime under $5,000.

Adriana Alexandra Jiron Zeledon, 20, of Markham, Omar Fair, 37, and Marlon Matthews, 45, both of Mississauga, were arrested on charges of possession of a Schedule I substance for trafficking. Kevin Figueiredo, 32, of Toronto, faces similar a charge, along with conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.

The TPS has issued arrest warrants for three additional suspects: Alexis Arroyo and Marco Rivera, both 31-year-old Mexican nationals, and Robert Nolin, a 60-year-old Niagara Falls resident. All three face charges of conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, trafficking, and possession of a Schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking.

Cross-Border Illicit Drug Flow

Police say the drugs originated in Mexico, passed through the southern United States, and entered Canada. Police investigation began when someone allegedly attempted to ship cocaine through a courier service, according to Supt. Paul MacIntyre.

“At some point, we realized that an 18-wheeler was coming from Mexico through the United States up into Canada,” he said during the Jan. 21 press conference. “When it crossed into Canada we asked the CBSA, the Mounties, to stop it for us.”

MacIntyre said that 475 kilograms of cocaine were seized from the shipment, with additional drugs recovered following the execution of several warrants at stash houses.

MacIntyre noted that the cocaine bust has led to a surge in street drug prices across Canada, with prices rising by 20 percent.

“By removing over 835 kilograms of cocaine from circulation, we have disrupted the supply and created a ripple effect following this seizure,” he said.

Seized drugs are seen during a press conference by the Toronto Police Service, in Toronto, on Jan. 21, 2025. The Canadian Press/Cole Burston

The federal government has recently ramped up efforts to detect and counter the flow of illicit drugs across the Canada-U.S. border, including a $1.3 billion investment in the RCMP, the Canada Border Services Agency, and intelligence agencies. This move is part of the government’s response to tariff threats from U.S. President Donald Trump, who raised concerns over illicit drugs and illegal immigration entering the United States from Canada and Mexico. Trump has suggested that the tariff could be imposed as early as Feb. 1.

Asked about the potential U.S. tariffs, TPS Chief Demkiw said the service has long focused on addressing the cross-border illicit drug trade, as well as other criminal activities like the flow of illegal firearms.

“I’ve got to acknowledge that this, in light of recent current events, is a relevant point of discussion in our communities. But I'd remind everyone that I’ve stood at this very podium before, talking about the influx of criminal handguns on our streets, of which the vast majority emanate from the United States of America,” he said.

“This police service has long been invested in doing our work to disrupt criminal activities that go any which way across the border, recognizing that as a border with a lot of trade with the United States, we have to be mindful of illicit products,” Demkiw added.