OTTAWA, ON, July 23, 2026 /CNW/ -- The RCMP's renewed investment in Federal Policing is already delivering measurable results for the safety and security of Canadians. Following the Government of Canada's commitment in Budget 2025 to strengthen the RCMP's Federal Program, the organization has rapidly expanded its operational capacity and increased its ability to combat transnational organized crime, disrupt illicit networks, and protect Canada's borders and communities.

The combination of operational funding and the commitment to recruit 1,000 new RCMP personnel dedicated to Federal Policing initiatives has positioned the RCMP to achieve immediate and impactful operational successes both domestically and internationally.

With these investments, the RCMP has doubled its international presence in both the United States and Mexico, providing greater capacity to tackle organized crime and pursue criminal threats impacting Canada alongside partners.

Over the past 12 months, working closely with Mexican authorities, the RCMP has supported the arrest of 10 Canadian fugitives in Mexico wanted for serious offences including murder, organized crime, drug trafficking, firearms offences, and identity-related crimes.

Additional fugitive arrests have been achieved through strong partnerships with law enforcement agencies in Colombia, Qatar, Spain, and France, demonstrating both the reach of the RCMP's federal international network and the strength of its global relationships.

The RCMP's International Federal Program is working in close collaboration with leadership teams across the four RCMP Federal Policing Regions and have partnered tirelessly with U.S. counterparts to disrupt criminal networks responsible for trafficking illicit drugs into Canada. These coordinated enforcement efforts have resulted in the seizure of 5600 kgs of cocaine and methamphetamine before the drugs could reach Canadian communities, during the course of the following three projects:

Operation Hard Ball targeted the Lawrence Bishnoi organization and other India-based transnational organized crime groups involved in extortion, drug trafficking, targeted violence, and other serious criminal activity impacting communities in Canada and abroad. The operation resulted in coordination and enforcement action across multiple countries and 38 individuals charged.  

Operation Giant Slalom targeted and dismantled the Ryan Wedding criminal organization, a cartel-linked transnational network responsible for large-scale cocaine and methamphetamine trafficking, money laundering, and violence across North America. The operation resulted in 40 individuals charged and significant disruption of the organization's activities.  

Operation Dead Hand targeted members and associates of Mexican cartel-linked drug trafficking networks, including Canadian organized crime figures Roberto Scoppa and Guramrit Sidhu. The investigation disrupted a sophisticated cross-border trafficking enterprise responsible for moving large quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine into Canada and resulted in 19 individuals charged. Earlier this month, Sidhu was sentenced in the United States to 20 years in federal prison for his leadership role within that criminal organization.  

Together, these results highlight the growing impact of RCMP Federal Policing's international operations and underscore the importance of strong partnerships with law enforcement agencies in Canada and around the world. Through continued collaboration, intelligence-led enforcement, and sustained investment in Federal Policing capacity, the RCMP will continue to build on this operational momentum and work tirelessly to protect Canadians from evolving criminal threats.

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"Criminal networks operate across jurisdictions, exploiting international connections to facilitate illicit activities and evade detection. Our response must be equally interconnected. Through trusted partnerships with law enforcement agencies at home and abroad, we are ensuring that those who threaten the safety and security of Canadians are identified, pursued, and brought to justice— regardless of where they operate." 

– RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme

Link: https://rcmp.ca/en/news/2026/07/4355222

SOURCE Royal Canadian Mounted Police Media Relations and Issues Management