The Mounties say six of the seven Montreal-area suspects arrested face a total of 17 criminal counts related to importing drugs and conspiracy to import drugs. Three employees of a catering service have been arrested after authorities dismantled an alleged cocaine-importing ring at Montreal's Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport. The three were among seven men who were nabbed Wednesday as about 60 police officers moved in. The trio were employed by Entreprises Cara, a company which provides services to the travel industry and the Montreal airport. The Mounties say six of the seven Montreal-area suspects arrested face a total of 17 criminal counts related to importing drugs and conspiracy to import drugs. RCMP Insp. Andre Lemyre says the arrests followed an investigation that began in August 2006. "The goal of the investigation was to dismantle an alleged criminal organization that specialized in importing cocaine at Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport,'' he told a news conference. Lemyre said the role of the Cara employees was to get the drugs out of the airport after the cocaine arrived by plane from the Dominican Republic. The employees had a card to give them access to restricted zones, but Lemyre would not comment when asked how they received security clearance. He said it was the responsibility of Transport Canada and stressed that airlines were not directly involved. "There were two airlines used, but the focus of the investigation was on a criminal organization and not on the airlines,'' he added. "It's an organization that infiltrated the airport and used the facilities to reach their goal.''
Searches conducted earlier led to the seizure of 16 kilograms of cocaine, four Toyotas and two firearms.
The drugs were seized during three airport inspections by the Canada Border Services Agency. Agents uncovered a first shipment of five kilograms of cocaine in September 2007, a second of nine kilograms last January and a third of two kilograms in April.
Lemyre said the stolen vehicles were seized in nearby Riviere-des-Prairies in a container bound for Africa through the Port of Montreal. The illicit drugs were found in unclaimed luggage, in the cargo hold and in a garbage can on a plane.
Lemyre also said the drugs were to be distributed to streets gangs. He added there may be more arrests because the investigation is continuing. The investigation was carried out by the RCMP's federal airport investigation branch with help from Montreal police and the border services agency.
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