Two Air Canada employees have been apprehended by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) for their alleged involvement in a drug-trafficking operation, which saw the transportation of cocaine and cannabis through restricted areas at Montréal-Trudeau International Airport.
The RCMP made the arrests public on Wednesday, detailing that search warrants were executed at two residences and a vehicle in the greater Montréal region early in the day. Working in collaboration with Air Canada, authorities also conducted searches at the employees’ workplace in Dorval, Que.
Ground-operational duties were reportedly carried out by the two employees, who stand accused of collaborating in a plot to move luggage through secure airport sectors, aiding in the smuggling of cocaine into the country and the outbound transportation of cannabis. The success of the operation allegedly hinged on the suspects’ access to high-security airport zones.
The investigation was initiated in May following a Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) operation that intercepted 62.5 kilograms of cocaine hidden in four backpacks on a flight inbound from Punta Cana. An additional 56 kilograms of cannabis, believed to be linked to the same network, were seized by officers during the course of the inquiry.
The suspects were taken into custody on Wednesday morning and will be interviewed before being released pending further legal proceedings.
Authorities have emphasized that the investigation is ongoing, and the evidence gathered during the searches may result in more arrests and charges.
