Canada Links Cocaine Arrests To Cartel

Three Canadians and a Mexican have been charged in a cocaine operation tied to a Mexican cartel, Canadian police said Wednesday.

Border inspectors discovered almost 100 kilos of cocaine Sept. 22, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police told the Vancouver Sun.

The drugs were hidden in a fruit-grinding machine imported from Argentina and headed for Kelowna, British Columbia. The RCMP's Federal Drug Enforcement Branch let the machine, with the drugs removed, continue to its destination.

On Oct. 4, police arrested West Kelowna residents Clifford Roger Montgomery, 33, and Barry Michael Ready, 50, and charged them with two counts of conspiracy to import cocaine and one of possession for the purpose of trafficking. Both are in custody and due in court Oct. 18.

Also charged are Tariq Mohammed Aslam, 32, of Surrey, and Mexican Victor Perez Rodrigues, 43. Warrants have been issued for their arrest.

RCMP Superintendent Brian Cantera, who heads the drug enforcement branch, said the cocaine is worth millions.

More than 50 investigators from various agencies worked on the case. Cantera said the Canadians charged are "well-known to police."

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