Punjab: Truck drivers please investigate the role of Indo-Canadians in drug trade
Punjab: The guilty plea of Ontario-based Punjabi truck drivers Iqbal Singh Virk and Ranjit Singh Rowal in the Ryan Wedding drug case has revived investigations into Indo-Canadian involvement in organised crime. Virk and Rowal, Indian nationals and permanent residents of Canada, were key operators of an international drug network led by former Canadian Olympian Ryan Wedding. They smuggled cocaine and heroin worth about $25 million from California to Canada using hidden compartments of trucks. Arrested at the Blue Water Bridge crossing between Michigan and Ontario on August 29 last year, US border agents seized 115 bags of narcotics—95 kg of cocaine and 20 kg of heroin—hidden in a compartment.
Charged under a 16-schedule US indictment to be released in October 2024, the two recently pleaded guilty and detailed their roles in the cartel, which smuggled drugs from Colombia to Canada via Mexico and the US. Although Canada’s drug trade spans many communities, the case highlights the growing presence of Indians in organised crime. His plea coincides with a renewed debate in India over Canada’s links to the drug crisis in Punjab, particularly after the AAP government arrested former minister Bikram Singh Majithia. Majithia is accused of possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income, allegedly linked to drug-related money laundering.
Several recent cases underscore the scale and frequency of Indo-Canadian involvement:
Project Pelican (June 2025): A joint operation by Peel police, the CBSA and the DEA arrested nine individuals – seven of whom were of Indian origin – for smuggling 479 kilograms of cocaine worth CAD 50 million into the GTA. Project Sledgehammer (July-September 2024): Peel, Waterloo, York police and the RCMP arrested five Punjabi-origin individuals, including a woman and her two sons, and seized weapons and drugs. Operation Dead Hand (February 2024): The FBI and RCMP arrested Aayush Sharma, Guramrit Sidhu (“King”) and Shubham Kumar for trafficking cocaine, meth, fentanyl and heroin. The seizure included 845 kilograms of meth, 951 kilograms of cocaine, 20 kilograms of fentanyl, 4 kilograms of heroin and $900,000 in cash—worth $16-28 million.
Falklands Superlab Bust (November 2024): The RCMP dismantled Canada’s largest fentanyl/meth lab. Punjabi suspect Gaganpreet Randhawa was charged. The seizure included 95.5 million lethal fentanyl doses, 5,000 litres of precursor and 10 tonnes of the chemical—estimated loss: $485 million. Project Zucaritas (October 2022): Peel police and US agencies arrested five people, including three Punjabis, for smuggling ketamine worth $25 million. Project Cheetah (April 2021): An international network linked to California and India was busted. Of the 30 people arrested, 23 were of Punjabi origin. The seizure included cocaine, ketamine, heroin, opium, firearms and $730,000 in cash. Ontario Drug Syndicate (September 2018): Peel police arrested 10 people, including six Punjabis, for smuggling synthetic drugs, stolen property and fraud.
