Montreal Mob Figure's Relative Apprehended Abroad in Major Drug Investigation
Adham Haouili, a 43-year-old Laval resident and son-in-law of notorious Montreal mob boss Raynald Desjardins, has been arrested in Mexico following an international manhunt. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police confirmed the capture last week, marking a significant development in a high-profile cocaine trafficking case known as Project Camelot.
International Arrest and Extradition Proceedings
According to authorities, Haouili was taken into custody on Friday afternoon at Mexico International Airport, where he had reportedly planned to meet his wife. The RCMP's Westmount division officially verified the arrest on Monday, with spokesperson Sgt. Erique Gasse stating that extradition procedures are currently underway.
"The extradition process is ongoing and Mr. Haouili will remain in custody in Mexico pending extradition to Canada," Gasse confirmed via email correspondence. Haouili had been actively sought by Canadian law enforcement since June 2023 on a warrant alleging his involvement in cocaine distribution networks.
Project Camelot: A Major Drug Trafficking Investigation
Haouili faces serious criminal charges, including one count of conspiracy and another of drug trafficking, stemming from his alleged participation in Project Camelot. This extensive investigation, led by the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit in collaboration with the Longueuil police service, has targeted multiple individuals accused of transporting cocaine between major Canadian cities.
According to RCMP documentation released last year, the investigation revealed that five accused individuals allegedly conspired to transport cocaine from Toronto and Montreal to St. John's, Newfoundland, using seaplane transportation. During the operation, authorities seized significant evidence including:
- A seaplane used for transportation
- 10 kilograms of cocaine
- Three firearms
- Approximately $32,000 in cash
Connection to Montreal's Organized Crime Network
The arrest highlights the ongoing reach of Montreal's organized crime networks, particularly through Haouili's familial connection to Raynald Desjardins. For decades, Desjardins has been identified by law enforcement as one of Quebec's highest-ranking organized crime figures, with a complex history within the province's criminal underworld.
Desjardins, now 72, was previously associated with the powerful Rizzuto crime organization before attempting to seize control of Montreal's mafia operations approximately fifteen years ago. Following internal conflicts within his group, Desjardins became involved in a plot to eliminate rival mafioso Salvatore Montagna, who was murdered in Charlemagne in 2011.
In 2016, Desjardins pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder in Montagna's death and received a 14-year prison sentence. At the time of his guilty plea, he had 78 months remaining to serve.
Broader Implications and Related Arrests
Haouili's capture represents just one component of the broader Project Camelot investigation, which has led to multiple international arrests. Last year, authorities apprehended two additional individuals connected to the case: Benoît David, 55, arrested by Interpol in Santiago, Chile, and William Thomas Webber, 44, taken into custody in Mississauga, Ontario.
Court records indicate that David, also a Laval resident, has not yet been extradited to Canada. Meanwhile, another accused individual, Michael Duguay Halle of Terrebonne, is scheduled to begin trial proceedings in September.
In a related development, the RCMP announced that Judith Zayas-Bayan, 58, was arrested in the United States late last year and repatriated to Canada on December 30, 2025. She remains in custody awaiting a bail hearing scheduled for later this month.
The continued international cooperation demonstrated in these arrests underscores the global nature of organized crime networks and the determined efforts by law enforcement agencies to disrupt drug trafficking operations with connections to Canadian criminal organizations.
