Former Coast Guard and DND employees face more charges in cocaine smuggling probe
A former Canadian Coast Guard employee in Halifax and former Department of National Defence employee in Greenwood, N.S., are facing additional charges related to an investigation into international drug trafficking, RCMP say.
The man and woman are among 15 people charged last year in what police say was a scheme to move cocaine into Canada from countries such as Antigua, Brazil, Colombia, Guyana and the United States. The two were charged with conspiracy to import cocaine and conspiracy to traffic cocaine.
RCMP said Tuesday the two now face additional charges of breach of trust and two counts of possession of proceeds of crime.
Both the man and woman used their positions at work to gain access to information for criminal intent, according to a police release.
"Obviously some information has come up that has lead to this development in the case," said Cpl. Jennifer Clarke with the RCMP.
Clarke wouldn't say exactly what proceeds of crime the pair allegedly had. She does say both DND and the coast guard were involved in the investigation that led to the man and woman's arrest.
The larger investigation, which police call Operation Harrington, started in 2013 and looked into drug smuggling linked to Colombian and Mexican drug cartels.
Both the man and the woman will appear in Halifax provincial court in March.
