A smuggling operation used drones to fly drugs across the Niagara River from Canada into upstate New York, using a newly purchased US$630,000 house along the river as a drop point, according to a criminal complaint unsealed this week.
One person has pleaded guilty and two others face charges after an investigation that started in September 2022. U.S. Border Patrol agents tracked a drone through an overnight excursion from an upscale neighborhood on the U.S. side of the border to the vicinity of an Ontario winery and back.
On the return trip to the house in Youngstown, New York, a package hung from the drone's chassis, according to a court filing. Law enforcement officers were in place as the drone hovered in the backyard before landing near the suspects.
The package was found to contain about 6 1/2 pounds (3 kg) of the drug MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, investigators said.
A search of the house turned up numerous drones and controllers but almost no furniture except for mattresses on the floor, the complaint said.
Data from the drones indicated there had been five cross-border flights prior to the September 2022 flight. The first occurred in May 2022, a month after the home was purchased in the name of one of the suspect's relatives, the filing showed. The Niagara River is around 1,800 feet wide (550 meters) in Youngstown.
Two of the suspects, from New York City and California, are believed to have made short trips to Buffalo for the drone flights, the complaint said.
The New York City resident appeared in U.S. District Court in Buffalo on Wednesday on drug and conspiracy charges. He was released on bond.
Another suspect pleaded guilty in February.
Migrant groups are pushing the federal government to reverse its cap on international study permits and tightening post-graduate work permit qualifications, claiming it will leave many students 'in limbo.'
Republicans on Sunday sought to distance themselves from Donald Trump's latest insults of Democratic nominee Kamala Harris during a rambling weekend rally in Wisconsin in which he called her 'mentally disabled.'
Given the sudden popularity of Moo Deng, the Thai national treasure whose name roughly translates as 'bouncy pork,' it was only a matter of time before someone turned her into a digital asset.
The Israeli military says dozens of aircraft have struck Houthi targets in Yemen in response to recent attack on Israel.
Trees haven't grown on the Falkland Islands for thousands of years. But tree trunks and branches preserved in peat suggest the islands were once home to a forest.
The Tax-Free Savings Account can be a powerful savings tool and investment vehicle. Financial contributor Christopher Liew explains how they work and how to take full advantage of them so you can reach your financial goals faster.
The far-right Freedom Party had a lead over the governing conservatives in Austria's national election on Sunday and was well-placed for its first win in a parliamentary vote, a projection showed. But its chances of governing were unclear.
Will Ferrell said in an interview with Variety that it was important for him to release his documentary, 'Will and Harper,' before the U.S. election so people could have conversations about trans people.
An Ottawa driver has been charged with stunt driving after being caught going 154 km/h on Highway 417, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).
British Columbia saw a rare unanimous vote in its legislature in October 2019, when members passed a law adopting the United Nations Declarations on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, setting out standards including free, prior and informed consent for actions affecting them.
A man was found dead in a home in the Ditidaht First Nation on Vancouver Island Saturday morning, prompting local council to ask residents to shelter in place.
For decades, Melven Jones couldn’t talk about what happened to him as a child. He didn’t even remember it.
A large crowd of people hoping to collect a piece of Toronto history gathered outside the ;Leslieville dollhouse' Sunday, as the new owners of the beloved east-end home gave away the dolls, toys, knick-knacks, and teddy bears that covered the property.
One person was injured in a stabbing at Moss Park early Sunday morning, Toronto police say.
Gov. Gen. Mary Simon insists her lack of French language proficiency does not hinder her ability to represent Canadians, after several Quebec politicians this week criticized her for not yet being fluent in the language, three years after her appointment.
A child was sent to hospital after being attacked by a coyote in northwest Calgary.
Alberta's premier spoke to calls for an outside, independent investigation into the death of Jon Wells during an incident involving Calgary police last week.
A street in Calgary's East Village will be closed on Monday morning for a ceremony marking Orange Shirt Day.
The 47th annual Canadian Police and Peace Officers' Memorial Service is taking place Sunday in the capital.
An Ottawa driver has been charged with stunt driving after being caught going 154 km/h on Highway 417, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).
The federal holiday on Sept. 30 will bring some schedule changes in Ottawa as Canada marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
Provincial police (SQ) say a head-on crash on Highway 30 in Candiac has left two people dead.
The Montreal Canadiens had a tough night at the Bell Centre on Saturday. Defenceman David Reinbacher and striker Patrik Laine both sustained injuries that don't look promising in a 2-1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
World Wrestling Entertainment Hall-of-Famer Maurice "Mad Dog" Vachon is the inspiration for a local wrestling production company that will bear his name host events on Montreal's West Island to raise money and create memories for sick children.
A man has been charged with second-degree murder in the killing of 25-year-old Wyatt Omeasoo in 2023.
When the key to a win is work ethic, it is not surprising to see Mattias Ekholm rise to the occasion. Ekholm had a goal and two assists as the Edmonton Oilers snapped a three-game skid with a 5-4 victory over the Seattle Kraken on Saturday.
A person is in hospital after a hit-and-run crash involving a stolen motorcycle in Grande Prairie early Saturday morning.
A mother in a community where the cost of living is one of the highest in the country says grocery prices are 'inhumane' and retailers are putting profits ahead of people’s basic human right to food.
Team U.S.A. is the winner of the Pan American Black Bass Championship, which attracted some of the world’s best anglers to Nackawic and Fredericton this past week.
Communities that suffered total losses in Hammonds Plains, N.S., and Upper Tantallon, N.S., in the 2023 wildfire received a donation of trees from Northern Pulp on Saturday.
As the temperatures begin to drop and the leaves change colour, the time for fall suppers has returned in Manitoba.
Hundreds gathered in Winnipeg’s Memorial Park Saturday afternoon in a solemn ceremony honouring the lives of fallen firefighters.
A beloved annual celebration of arts and culture returns to city streets Saturday night.
The Town of Lumsden held their ninth annual Scarecrow festival Saturday.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders moved into second place in the CFL's West Division with a 29-16 victory over the Ottawa Redblacks on Saturday.
Minister of Health Everett Hindley wrote to healthcare provider unions on Friday inviting them to join a nursing task force, something the government previously said no to.
People in Guelph may notice a new addition at the entrance to Franchetto Park in Guelph.
A young motorcyclist has been taken to an out-of-region hospital after a single vehicle crash in Woolwich Township.
On Saturday evening just before 8:00 p.m., emergency responders were on the scene of a two-vehicle collision at the intersection of 17th Line and 19th Line.
Saskatchewan RCMP says the man who sustained injuries from a serious assault earlier this month has died in hospital.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders moved into second place in the CFL's West Division with a 29-16 victory over the Ottawa Redblacks on Saturday.
Minister of Health Everett Hindley wrote to healthcare provider unions on Friday inviting them to join a nursing task force, something the government previously said no to.
A tale about a taxicab hauling gold and sinking through the ice on Larder Lake, Ont., in December 1937 has captivated a man from that town for decades.
The CEO of the Ottawa Mission is responding to controversial comments made this week by Premier Doug Ford about those living in homeless encampments that received swift blowback from advocates.
The government has just weeks to decide if it will meet the $16-billion demand from the Bloc Québécois to stave off an election for a few more months, but the stipulation may be at odds with the political and fiscal plans of the Liberals.
On Saturday, just before 10:00 p.m., police were called to the intersection of Richmond and Huron Streets for a welfare check.
On Saturday evening just before 8:00 p.m., emergency responders were on the scene of a two-vehicle collision at the intersection of 17th Line and 19th Line.
The fourth annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada is on Monday, Sept. 30.
A pedestrian has died after reportedly getting struck by an OPP cruiser in Bala early Sunday morning.
Members of the Southern Georgian Bay OPP and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) are sounding the alarm on a rising number of online and phone scams targeting residents.
Several heavily armed officers descended on a home in the southeast area of Barrie Thursday afternoon after reports of a man armed with a crossbow.
Two suspects have been arrested by Windsor Police in connection with an incident involving sexual assault and forcible confinement.
The project will benefit from a customized approach that helps strengthen outcomes for those living with schizophrenia and hopes to optimize evidence-based treatment.
The Town of Kingsville has prepared a draft short-term rental (STR) bylaw which would regulate and license the operation of vacation rentals in the community.
British Columbia saw a rare unanimous vote in its legislature in October 2019, when members passed a law adopting the United Nations Declarations on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, setting out standards including free, prior and informed consent for actions affecting them.
A man was found dead in a home in the Ditidaht First Nation on Vancouver Island Saturday morning, prompting local council to ask residents to shelter in place.
For decades, Melven Jones couldn’t talk about what happened to him as a child. He didn’t even remember it.
Fire crews in Vernon, B.C., responded to a large house fire early Saturday morning.
A pair of runaway pigs are in the custody of an animal sanctuary in the Okanagan after evading police and volunteers for hours earlier this week.
The Red Bridge, a historic landmark in Kamloops, B.C., was completely destroyed by fire early Thursday morning.
The sentencing for three men convicted of helping lead and coordinate the COVID-19 protest blockade at Coutts, Alta., in 2022 has been delayed.
A 10-year-old boy from Lethbridge is being praised as a hero after a routine summer outing at the pool nearly turned tragic for his friend.
A man and woman have been charged after a Lethbridge ice creamery was broken into earlier this week. Staff arrived at Cookie Crimes, in the 300 block of Sixth Street South, just before 5:30 a.m. on Monday to discover the front window broken.
Sault residents may notice some commotion on the Algoma University campus over the next two weeks as a team conducts an archaeological search.
The Pride crosswalk in downtown Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., has been hit by vandalism for the second time in less than three months.
Despite a lead at mid-game in front of a near-capacity home crowd, the Sudbury Wolves dropped their first game of their OHL regular season to Barrie, 3-1.
A mother in a community where the cost of living is one of the highest in the country says grocery prices are 'inhumane' and retailers are putting profits ahead of people’s basic human right to food.
A soccer game in England on Tuesday night drove a spike in online traffic across the Atlantic to a website launched by the Newfoundland and Labrador government.
Newfoundland and Labrador sponsored a minor football team in England, now they’re about to play one of the biggest clubs in European soccer.
A tale about a taxicab hauling gold and sinking through the ice on Larder Lake, Ont., in December 1937 has captivated a man from that town for decades.
When a group of B.C. filmmakers set out on a small fishing boat near Powell River last week, they hoped to capture some video for a documentary on humpback whales. What happened next blew their minds.
A pizza chain in Edmonton claims to have the world's largest deliverable pizza.
Sarah McLachlan is returning to her hometown of Halifax in November.
Wayne MacKay is still playing basketball twice at Mount Allison University at 87 years old.
A man from a small rural Alberta town is making music that makes people laugh.
An Indigenous artist has a buyer-beware warning ahead of Sept. 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
Police are looking to the public for help after thieves broke into a Lethbridge ice creamery, stealing from the store.
An ordinary day on the job delivering mail in East Elmwood quickly turned dramatic for Canada Post letter carrier Jared Plourde. A woman on his route was calling out in distress.
Migrant groups are pushing the federal government to reverse its cap on international study permits and tightening post-graduate work permit qualifications, claiming it will leave many students 'in limbo.'
The government has just weeks to decide if it will meet the $16-billion demand from the Bloc Québécois to stave off an election for a few more months, but the stipulation may be at odds with the political and fiscal plans of the Liberals.
Gov. Gen. Mary Simon insists her lack of French language proficiency does not hinder her ability to represent Canadians, after several Quebec politicians this week criticized her for not yet being fluent in the language, three years after her appointment.
A man from Alberta has been at the Medipal International Hospital in Kampala, Uganda for over two months with a hefty medical bill. He says he can’t leave until it’s been paid for.
More than 550 symptomatic people responded to an online questionnaire about a gastrointestinal illness at a Prince Edward Island shellfish festival last weekend.
A partial masking mandate has returned to Nova Scotia hospitals and provincially run healthcare facilities for visitors and healthcare workers.
Canadian innovators and technical leaders gathered in Ottawa Thursday to demonstrate the latest cutting-edge technology.
SpaceX launched a rescue mission for the two stuck astronauts at the International Space Station on Saturday, sending up a downsized crew to bring them home but not until next year.
Trees haven't grown on the Falkland Islands for thousands of years. But tree trunks and branches preserved in peat suggest the islands were once home to a forest.
Given the sudden popularity of Moo Deng, the Thai national treasure whose name roughly translates as 'bouncy pork,' it was only a matter of time before someone turned her into a digital asset.
As Sarah McLachlan, Tom Cochrane and members of Blue Rodeo were ushered into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame on Saturday, each took a moment to recognize that writing great music usually comes with incredible struggle.
'Saturday Night Live' began its 50th season with a parade of former co-stars, including Maya Rudolph as U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, Andy Samberg as her husband Doug Emhoff and Dana Carvey as U.S. President Joe Biden.
A strike by grain terminal workers at the Port of Metro Vancouver has ended, their employer announced Friday night.
When Annie Korver sits down with a new corporate or small business client, she encourages them to focus first on the 'truth' part of Truth and Reconciliation.
The U.S. Department of Transportation said Friday it had fined Air Canada US$250,000 for operating flights in 2022 and 2023 in prohibited Iraqi airspace.
The Tax-Free Savings Account can be a powerful savings tool and investment vehicle. Financial contributor Christopher Liew explains how they work and how to take full advantage of them so you can reach your financial goals faster.
Matt Perrault has shipped animals in and out of Canada on behalf of owners for more than two decades, handling creatures ranging from birds to bearded dragons, rabbits and ferrets.
It's often said there is a thin line between love and hate, but is it OK to sometimes hate your long-term partner? If you ask actress Jamie Lee Curtis, it's practically necessary.
When the key to a win is work ethic, it is not surprising to see Mattias Ekholm rise to the occasion. Ekholm had a goal and two assists as the Edmonton Oilers snapped a three-game skid with a 5-4 victory over the Seattle Kraken on Saturday.
On an eventful Saturday at the Presidents Cup, the U.S. took an 11-7 lead over an International team that saw big performances from the world's No. 1 ranked golfer, Scottie Scheffler.
The Toronto Raptors have confirmed that Vince Carter's No. 15 will be the first number to be retired by the NBA franchise.
A tale about a taxicab hauling gold and sinking through the ice on Larder Lake, Ont., in December 1937 has captivated a man from that town for decades.
A U.S. driver somehow squeezed her vehicle through a parkade hallway at a Metro Vancouver casino Thursday, before getting stuck at an elevator bank.
More than 12,000 vehicles in Canada are included in two separate recalls by Toyota Motor Corp. and Mazda.
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