Air Canada has suspended two employees after their arrest in connection with an RCMP drug-trafficking investigation at Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport. The case centres on alleged misuse of secure ground-operations access at the Montreal hub, where investigators believe luggage linked to cocaine imports and cannabis exports was moved through restricted areas. The probe involves a seizure of 62.5 kg of cocaine from backpacks on a flight from Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic.
The two suspects worked in ground operations and were later released pending further proceedings. Investigators also seized 56 kg of cannabis during the wider inquiry, and additional arrests remain possible. Air Canada has not provided further detail beyond confirming the suspensions and pointing to employee privacy and an ongoing investigation.
The allegations place both the airline and Canada’s busiest international airports under scrutiny because they involve insider access rather than an external smuggling attempt. Any proven breach in secure airport handling areas can raise questions over screening, staff vetting and cargo control, particularly for a flagship carrier operating at a major North American hub. The case remains before the courts, and the allegations have not been tested in evidence.