Heather Wright/The Independent

About 1.1 tonnes of the drugs seized in a $139 million drug investigation were seized at the Bluewater Bridge.

And a Corunna man is one of 21 people charged in the massive drug ring which netted a total of 1.7 tonnes of cocaine, methamphetamine, opium and oxycodone.

The investigation began in Windsor in January 2025. “At that time, we had no way of measuring the scale or impact of the project,” said Windsor Police Service Chief Jason Crowley during the July 24 news conference. “Investigators uncovered a sophisticated network with ties to the Greater Toronto Area and involvement in the cross-border drug trafficking.”

OPP Acting Detective Superintendent Andy Bradford said the drug network used a “broker-style” system to bring the drugs into Canada. “Investigators identified a network coordinating the movement and distribution of large quantities of drugs through otherwise legitimate supply chains. This included coordinating shipments and arranging drivers to knowingly transport concealed drugs within commercial loads.”

Michael Prozia, Regional Director General for the Canada Border Services Agency’s in Southern Ontario, says as the investigation continued over 18 months, border services guards in Point Edward seized four major cocaine and methamphetamine shipments. “Border Services officers intercepted over 1.1 tonnes of drugs that criminal groups were attempting to smuggle across the border,” he said at a news conference.

“We shared vital intelligence and surveillance information with our partners and assisted with the execution of search warrants. The drug shipments that we stopped at the border included 470 kgs of cocaine on May 23 of this year, 431 kgs of methamphetamine, and close to 43 kgs of cocaine on June 2nd, as well as over 200 kgs of cocaine on June 24; all of these enforcement actions took place at the Blue Water Bridge Port of Entry.

“So far this year, the CBSA in Southern Ontario seized over 200 firearms and 5500 kilogrammes of illegal drugs at our land ports of entry,” Prozia added.

“Timely, effective intelligence sharing and cross-border cooperation have helped us track, disrupt, and dismantle the criminal networks that attempt to operate across our borders and harm our communities.”

One day after the last major seizure at the Bluewater Bridge, 18 search warrants were executed at residences and businesses in Windsor, Corunna, LaSalle, Brampton and Kleinburg by the OPP, Windsor, London, Chatham-Kent and the RCMP. Four more warrants were served in the Toronto and area in July.

Police arrested 21 people and seized nearly 1.7 tonnes of illegal drugs including;

• 973 kg cocaine
• 660 kg of methamphetamine
• 49 kg suspected opium
• 230 oxycodone tablets (5 mg)
• 17 firearms, including an anti-tank rifle
• Ammunition
• Prohibited devices and weapons including brass knuckles, magazines and baton
• C$80,000
• US$10,000
• One vehicle as offence-related property
• High-end jewellery
• Money counters
• 43 cell phones and six laptops

The estimated street value of the drugs is more than $139 million, representing a significant disruption to the illegal drug supply chain in Ontario, officials said.

“As a border city, we are not just combating local crime; we are combating crime that moves across international border boundaries. The drugs and weapons trafficked through this community typically spread across other communities in Ontario, and together with our partners, we are cutting them off at the source,” said Crowley.

“Unfortunately this is not dismantling entire networks,” Crowley added. “The networks run very deep. Our investigators are aware, and this investigation may be at a conclusion now, but it does lead to other criminal organizations, organized crime. So this work is never done, but certainly, as you can see a very large dent in someone’s business.

“We’ve seized an arsenal of weapons and nearly 1.7 tonnes of illegal drugs. It’s an impressive visual, but I’m most struck by the images we’re not seeing today,” said Crowley. “The drugs in this room are not ending up in the hands of our community’s vulnerable population. The firearms in this room are not sowing chaos in our communities, and because of Project Bay, we will see fewer lives destroyed and fewer families torn apart.”

Among those charged in the operation was Corunna resident Shawn Batte. The 44-year-old faces one charge of possession of oxycodone for the purpose of trafficking. He was released on an undertaking – a signed, legally binding document promising to appear in court. Batte is scheduled in court Oct. 5 in Toronto.

Those charged are: