Montreal police have made significant progress in a drug trafficking investigation, with three individuals in custody and two on the run following the seizure of over 100 kg of cocaine valued at more than $2.3 million on Monday.
In a series of coordinated searches across various boroughs and cities, including Lachine, LaSalle, Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, Ville-Marie, Saint-Laurent, and Lorraine, law enforcement authorities managed to confiscate 102 kg of cocaine, 5 kg of heroin, 20 litres of GHB, $306,000 in cash, three firearms, two vehicles, and other incriminating evidence. The total value of the seized drugs is estimated to exceed $2.3 million.
The operation, which began in July, was prompted by intelligence suggesting that the Toronto region was acting as a distribution center for narcotics destined for the lucrative Montreal market.
Facing charges of drug trafficking are 49-year-old Michele Laddaga, 45-year-old Victor Julio Sanchez Medrano, and 38-year-old Lenin Garica Ciriaco, with Laddaga also charged with drug possession, while Medrano and Ciriaco face additional counts of possessing proceeds of a crime.
Authorities are currently seeking 40-year-old Rattana Sem and 37-year-old Véronique Plouffe in connection with the case. Anyone with information about Sem or Plouffe is urged to contact the police immediately.
