Canadian man charged for 266 pounds of cocaine found at Blue Water Bridge

DETROIT — A Canadian man has been charged in connection with 266 pounds of cocaine federal officials seized last week at the Blue Water Bridge, the St. Clair County Sheriff's Office announced Monday.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection as well as Homeland Security Investigations found the load around 4:30 p.m. Thursday, sheriff's officials said in a release.

The suspect, identified as Juli Sabosan Sathiaseelan, as well as a semi-tractor, trailer and evidence were turned over to the St. Clair County Drug Task Force, which partners with HSI, according to the statement.

Sathiaseelan, 42, was held at the St. Clair County Detention and Intervention Center in Michigan, the Sheriff's Office said.

He has been arraigned through 72nd District Court on a charge of controlled substance delivery/manufacture (narc/cocaine) of 1,000 grams or more, records show.

Bond was set at$3 million, officials said. Additional charges may be requested as a result of the ongoing investigation.

“Our partnerships with other law enforcement agencies from local to federal are absolutely essential in keeping drugs out of our community," Sheriff Mat King said in the release. "The Drug Task Force’s impact goes far beyond the confines of the Sheriff’s Office."

An attorney representing Sathiaseelan was not listed in court records Monday.

Sathiaseelan's next hearing, a probable cause conference, is scheduled for Aug. 13 before Judge Mona Armstrong. An examination hearing follows on Aug. 20.

The recent probe follows several illegal hauls taking place at nearby international crossings.

In February, federal officers arrested Gagandeep Singh, a Canadian trucker, after seizing about 661 pounds of cocaine worth $8.7 million during a stop at the Ambassador Bridge.

In May 2023, more than 132 pounds of cocaine was seized from a truck that entered Canada through Detroit over the Ambassador Bridge, and the truck's driver, Jasbir Singh, 40, of Paris, Ontario was arrested.

In November 2022, Canadian trucker Zenon Bialkowski, 68, of Brampton, Ontario was charged in connection with attempting to transport cocaine into Canada over the Blue Water Bridge.

Months earlier, Canadian officials seized nearly 600 pounds of suspected heroine, cocaine and methamphetamines on a truck entering Canada from Port Huron over the Blue Water Bridge. The truck's driver, Arshdeep Singh, 23, of Quebec City, Quebec, was arrested.

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