MONTREAL - Quebec provincial police say they and other authorities across the country have smashed a cocaine-smuggling network that transported the drug from Vancouver to Quebec.
Police were hoping to arrest more than 50 people in all.
As of Thursday night, police said they had 46 people in custody and were still looking for four others.
They say criminal bikers were behind the operation, and that those arrested will face a variety of drug and gangsterism charges.
Police say the cocaine was shipped from Mexico to Vancouver via the U.S. west coast, and then transported across Canada.
The coke was then stored for a while in Quebec and distributed to various regions of the province, they added.
On an annual basis, the organization is alleged to have imported hundreds of kilograms of cocaine.
The RCMP, Quebec revenue authorities and the Ottawa and Gatineau police departments also took part in the operation.
Police say the investigation began in 2006.
The accused are scheduled to appear in court in Montreal and Gatineau, Que., on Thursday and Friday.
