The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) say that four people from Ottawa have been arrested and charged in connection with the seizure of a large quantity of cocaine in the capital.

The investigation began in August when Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers in New Brunswick identified a Canadian company suspected of using sea containers to smuggle drugs from Colombia to Canada, according to a press release on Tuesday.

The authorities in Colombia said they seized 38 kilograms of cocaine that were headed to Ottawa.

A second container had already been shipped and was on its way to Canada, where employees of the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) intercepted the container in Saint John, New Brunswick, and seized 14 kilograms of cocaine on October 22.

The RCMP then took over the follow-up and investigation and traced the shipment to a property near Ottawa on November 8 where police alleged it was used to store drugs intended for distribution.

With the help of Ottawa police and the Canadian Border Services Agency, police searched the property and found two prohibited firearms and a bulletproof vest.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said, "In total, this operation prevented 52 kilograms of cocaine, valued between $1.4 and $1.7 million, from entering Canada. Three men and one woman from Ottawa were arrested."

The RCMP identified the individuals as Andrew Abboud, 40; Tuab Sid Dadsani, 48; Ibrahim Dadsani, 31; and Sawsan Ayak, 38 years old.

This list faces charges of possession of drugs and firearms illegally.

The defendants are scheduled to appear in court in Ottawa on December 15.

RCMP investigator Islam Issa thanked the Ottawa police, the Canadian Border Services Agency, and Colombian authorities for their assistance in the investigation.

A very large quantity of cocaine as well as firearms has been removed from the streets, enhancing public safety and delivering a major blow to the figures behind organized crime in Ottawa.

He added, "Without the help of our partners, this investigation would not have achieved the success that was achieved."