PORT HURON, Mich. – A Canadian truck driver was arrested for trying to enter Canada from Michigan while transporting 188 bricks of cocaine, officials said.
Zenon Bialkowski, 68, of Brampton, Ontario, drove a commercial truck to the primary inspection booth at the Blue Water Bridge in Point Edward, Ontario, on Oct. 17, according to authorities.
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The truck was referred for secondary examination, and border officers noticed “inconsistencies in the load,” they said.
During an inspection, authorities said they discovered 188 brick-shaped packages of suspected cocaine.
“The work of the Canada Border Services Agency is our country’s first line of defense, and seizures like this are clear signs that our efforts to prevent crime and keep illegal drugs off our streets are working,” Minister of Public Safety Marco E. L. Mendicino said.
Bialkowski was arrested by the CBSA and transferred to the custody of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
He is charged with importation of cocaine and possession for the purpose of trafficking.
“One of our top priorities is keeping harmful goods out of Canada,” said An Nguyen, the district director of St. Clair District operations for the CBSA. “The CBSA officers involved in this interception displayed exemplary work, as their investigative skills led to the end of this smuggling attempt.”
The case is currently before the Ontario Court of Justice in Sarnia.
