Highlights:
- Indian-origin trucker Surj Singh Salaria remanded after $7 million cocaine bust at Coutts border.
- 77 kilograms of cocaine seized from inside truck cab during inspection.
- Salaria faces three federal drug trafficking charges; bail denied.
- Case linked to ongoing cross-border smuggling investigations under Project Pelican.
- Indian-origin trucking operators increasingly under scrutiny amid rising drug smuggling cases.
In one of Canada’s biggest drug seizures this year, Surj Singh Salaria, a 28-year-old Indian-origin truck driver from Calgary, has been remanded in custody following a $7 million cocaine bust at the Coutts border crossing. The Alberta Court of Justice denied his bail on Monday (27), citing the severity of the charges and potential flight risk.
According to officials, Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers intercepted 77 kilograms of cocaine concealed inside the cab of Salaria’s truck on September 25 during a detailed inspection at the Coutts crossing, a major checkpoint linking Alberta and Montana. The drugs, valued at roughly $7 million, mark one of the largest narcotic interceptions in the region this year.
Salaria was arrested at the scene and now faces three federal charges, importation of a controlled substance, possession for the purpose of trafficking, and attempted export of prohibited goods. Crown prosecutors successfully opposed his bail, arguing that the charges involve an international smuggling operation and that Salaria poses a significant flight risk. His legal team proposed conditional release under supervision, but the court ruled against it. The case has been adjourned until November 24 for procedural follow-up.
The bust comes amid heightened scrutiny of commercial trucking routes connecting the United States and Canada, as authorities across both countries ramp up cross-border investigations into organized smuggling networks.
This incident follows a series of large-scale seizures under Project Pelican, a joint operation between the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Peel Police, CBSA, and the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Between February and May 2025, officials dismantled a major trafficking ring operating through Ontario, confiscating 479 kilograms of cocaine valued at $47.9 million from trucks crossing the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor and the Blue Water Bridge in Sarnia.
Notably, seven of the nine suspects arrested in Project Pelican were Indian-origin men, many employed as Punjabi truck drivers or logistics operators in the Greater Toronto Area, which has emerged as a major smuggling hub.
Earlier this year, another Calgary-based Indian-origin driver, Arshdeep Singh, was caught with 108 kilograms of cocaine worth over $10 million, further highlighting the growing concern over drug trafficking networks exploiting freight routes in western Canada.
As Salaria’s case proceeds, authorities emphasize their continued vigilance in dismantling organized drug pipelines operating between Canada and the United States.
