Mississauga men nabbed in $43.7M Ambassador Bridge coke bust

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Despite a slew of recent arrests at Southwestern Ontario international bridges linking Canada to the U.S., the tsunami of drugs continues unabated.

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Late Monday, Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) announced it arrested and charged two Mississauga men following the seizure of 127 kilograms of cocaine at the Ambassador Bridge.

The poisonous payload is worth around $43.7 million.

Truck was arriving from the U.S.

So far this year, CBSA’s Southern Ontario Region has seized 1.67 metric tonnes of cocaine, the agency said.

According to CBSA officials, the seizure was made from a commercial truck arriving from the United States after being referred for a secondary examination by a CBSA officer.

Border services officers used the assistance of a detector dog to find and seize 127 kg of suspected cocaine in the trailer.

The CBSA arrested Vasyl Galychyn, 61, and Anton Chernyshov, 41, both of Mississauga, and charged the pair with importation of cocaine and possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

“This seizure at the Ambassador Bridge shows the important work our border services officers do every day to keep illegal drugs out of Canada,” said Michael Prosia, CBSA regional director general, southern Ontario region, in a news release.

Mountains of cocaine flooding in

“Their experience, attention to detail and use of technology helped stop a significant amount of cocaine from entering the country.”

The trucking industry has played a starring role in the mountains of cocaine and methamphetamine that have poured into the country. Semis were alleged drug baron Ryan Wedding’s conduit to get his product into Canada.

In conjunction with South Asian criminals and trucking companies, the method made Wedding the richest dope dealer in Canada. But he has since been captured by the FBI and awaits trial on a slew of charges, including drug trafficking.

Besides the Ambassador Bridge joint Detroit and Windsor, the Blue Water Bridge in Sarnia is another popular crossing for drug traffickers. Over the past year, CBSA and their American counterparts have intercepted scores of trucks carrying drugs.

Trucker sentenced to 15 years in prison

And it appears that the message is getting through.

On Friday, Toronto-area truck driver Emmanuel Dangyimah was sentenced to 15 years in prison for smuggling cocaine and opium over the Blue Water Bridge. However, he is expected to appeal.

Dangyimah, 35, was convicted by Superior Court Justice Jason Howie in March of importing and possessing both drugs for the purpose of trafficking following a two-week trial.

Fifty bricks of opium and 40 bricks of cocaine were found in duffel bags hidden among boxes of women’s clothes after Canada Border Services Agency officers searched his truck on July 8, 2023. Authorities at the time estimated the value of the drugs at $6 million.

Prosecutors asked for 19 years in prison while his lawyer asked for a 12 spot. A trainee in the truck with Dangyimah was found not guilty.

Dope picked up in Chino, Calif.

A two-week, judge-alone trial for both defendants was held in September 2025, featuring the testimony of 10 Crown witnesses followed by closing arguments.

Two loads of seven pallets each were picked up at a warehouse in Chino, Calif., on July 5 and July 6, 2023. The truck left without a seal. It wasn’t placed on the trailer until sometime between July 7 and July 8, 2023, as there is a photo of it in someone’s hand on July 7.

During closing arguments, the Crown asked why, given Dangyimah’s truck driving experience – he crossed the border 39 times between July 2021 and July 2023 – he would leave the truck alone or unguarded and without a seal for days.

Howie said there was no legitimate reason to leave the load unsealed.

— With files from Terry Bridge, Postmedia News

bhunter@postmedia.com

@HunterTOSun

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