A 55-year-old Richmond Hill man is facing drug smuggling charges after Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers say he tried to enter Canada from the United States at the Ambassador Bridge with tens of millions of dollars worth of cocaine stuffed in garbage bags.
Investigators say agents pulled the man over to inspect his commercial truck on May 23, 2025 on the bridge that links Windsor and Michigan.
“During a secondary examination of the trailer, CBSA officers discovered two suitcases and 5 garbage bags containing 161 bricks of suspected cocaine,” a CBSA release states.
A total of 187.5 kilograms was seized.
“The approximate value of the cocaine is $23.4 million.”
The driver, Kambiz Karandish, was arrested and has been transferred to the custody of the RCMP.
He’s facing charges of Importation of Cocaine, and Possession of Cocaine for the Purpose of Trafficking under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.
“The coordinated efforts of CBSA and the RCMP has once again kept a large quantity of dangerous drugs off the streets of Canadian communities,” said Superintendent James Parr, Acting Officer in Charge of Criminal Operations, RCMP Central Region.
“This successful seizure highlights the RCMP’s ongoing commitment to disrupt and dismantle organized crime, and is a testament to the dedication and collaboration between our law enforcement partners.”
