Five Canadians Facing Extradition to the US for Involvement in Drug Smuggling Ring

The RCMP logo is seen outside the force's 'E' division headquarters in Surrey, B.C., on March 16, 2023. The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck

Authorities have dismantled a drug-smuggling operation they say involved large quantities of narcotics coming into Los Angeles from Mexico, before being distributed in the U.S. and brought into Canada by long-haul truckers.

The cross-border operation dubbed “Operation Dead Hand” saw 19 people charged in two U.S. federal indictments for their alleged roles in the organized crime syndicate, including Roberto Scoppa, a Montrealer alleged by authorities to be a large-scale Canadian trafficker and Italian Mafia figure.