Two Laval residents and a Montrealer suspected of having laundered nearly $20 million in less than a year and who have links with the Colombian cartels will have to answer for their actions in court.

Yan Trépanier, 49, Michael-Joey D'Opéra, 27, both of Laval, and Montrealer Andrew Barera, 35, face charges of laundering proceeds of crime, conspiracy to import and possess narcotics for the purpose of trafficking and possession of prohibited weapons and devices.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) had already conducted searches last July as part of this investigation. They then seized $46,000 in cash, firearms, a silencer and accounting books.

The RCMP had been put on the trail of the three suspects following information provided to them in March 2020 by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), in the United States.

The investigation found that the trio had laundered more than $18 million in less than a year.

The appearance of Mr. Trépanier, D'Opéra and Berera must take place on July 15, at the Montreal courthouse.