U.S. and Canadian officials are searching for a 32-year-old man who is suspected of being the ring leader in a large-scale drug and weapons smuggling operation.
Khaophone Sychantha, also known as Kao, was last known to be living in Lakeshore, Ont. and authorities believe he may be in southern Ontario or the U.S. Midwest.
The most recent in a string of charges against Sychantha included distribution of a controlled substance. It was part of a four-count federal indictment in the U.S. in October 2013. However, he fled before answering to the charges.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement says he is suspected of being the ring leader of a drug-smuggling organization that has supplied ecstasy pills and marijuana to distributors in Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Massachusetts, Georgia and New York.
Sychantha also allegedly directed individuals to smuggle millions in cash, guns, cocaine and heroin from the U.S. into Canada.
He holds dual citizenship in Canada and Laos, and has been known to maintain residences in Windsor, LaSalle and Toronto.
Sychantha also has strong ties to Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee, and abroad in Mexico, Laos, Hong Kong and Thailand.
Anyone with information can leave an anonymous tip by calling the HSI Tip Line at 1-866-347-2423 from the U.S. and Canada or 802-872-6199 from anywhere in the world.
There is also an online tip form at: http://www.ice.gov/tips