Toronto, Jul 9 (IANS): A Punjabi trucker has been arrested in Canada for smuggling about 112.5 kg of cocaine into the country from the US.

Pardeep Singh, 24, who is a resident of LaSalle in Quebec, was caught when his truck entered Fort Erie in Canada from the US.

When Singh's truck was referred for a secondary examination, border inspectors found about 112.5 kg of cocaine hidden inside five duffle bags.

The market value of the seized drug haul is about $14 million.

Singh was arrested and handed over to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

He will appear in court on Friday to face charges.

Scores of Punjabi men have been arrested recently for smuggling drugs into Canada.

In June, nine Toronto-area Punjabi men were arrested when police forces busted a 20-member drug cartel and seized drugs worth over $61 million from them.

In April, 25 Punjabi men from Brampton were arrested as part of a drug gang that was smuggling cocaine into Canada and distributing it throughout the country through its underground network.

In January, Punjabi trucker Amarpreet Singh Sandhu of Calgary created a smuggling record when he was arrested with 228.14 kg of methamphetamine worth $28.5 million in the market.