Suspects used a helicopter to move drugs and guns across the border, RCMP says

A 16-month investigation between the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Ontario Provincial Police and U.S. Homeland Security has led, police say,to a large drug and firearms bust.

Police say more than 800 plants and dried cannabis were found, in addition to 400 grams of cocaine and a number of handguns.

RCMP in the Hamilton and Niagara region made the arrests.

The four suspects, all from the Greater Toronto Area,were allegedly growing cannabis and on several occasions "used a Jet Ranger helicopter to fly the illegally grown cannabis across the Canada-U.S. borderbetween the ports of entry at low altitudes to avoid detection," read a release.

"The helicopter, a truck and trailer were seized as offence-related property. An investigation into the origin of the handguns is ongoing."

A 36-year-old from Vaughn, A 25 year-old from Burlington, A 40-year-old fromEast Gwillimburyand a 30-year-old from Woodbridgeface a number of drug charges.