Canada charges 2 Indian-descent Californians with cocaine smuggling

New York, Dec 9 (IANS) Two Californians of Indian-descent have been charged by Canadian authorities with smuggling 100 kgs of cocaine valued at about $6 million, according to media reports.

Gurminder Singh Toor, 31, and Kirandeep Kaur Toor, 26, were charged on four counts under the Canadian Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, Canada Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) reported on Friday.

According to Canadian officials quoted by CBC, this was the biggest cocaine seizure at the border between the US and Canada's Alberta Province.

The seizure took place on December 2 just after midnight but it was announced by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) on Friday, CBC said.

CBC said that according to officials border guards at Coutts in southern Alberta found 84 bricks of cocaine hidden in a microwave and in the living quarters of the semi-trailer truck, which was supposed to be bringing vegetables from the US.

CBC said the estimated street value of the cocaine was Canadian $8 million (about US $6.3 million).

"There certainly is a lot of trucks that come through Coutts and it's like looking for a needle in a haystack," said Guy Rook, CBSA director of operations in southern Alberta, according the National Post. "In this case we found that needle due to the training and dedication of our front line officers," he added.

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