Former UFC star Alex Garcia has been arrested in Canada following a major drug sting operation.
Montreal police confirmed that Garcia was among three suspects arrested last week after authorities seized 102 kilograms of cocaine, along with other drugs, cash, vehicles and firearms, in what police described as a “major” operation by the city’s anti-gang unit.
According to CTV News in Canada, the cocaine was valued at $2.5 million AUD ($1.7 million USD), with officers also seizing 20 liters of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), roughly five kilograms of heroin, $306,000 in cash, as well as three firearms and two vehicles.
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“Launched in July 2025, this criminal investigation revealed that the Toronto area was being used as a supply source and that the drugs were then being resold at a higher price in Greater Montreal,” police said in a press release.
Michele Laddaga, 49, and Victor Julio Sanchez Medrano, 45, were also taken into custody in connection with the investigation. Two other suspects, Veronique Plouffe and Rattana Sem, are on the run.
Garcia, 38, joined the UFC roster in 2013 and scored a 43-second knockout on debut against Aussie fighter Ben Wall.
Known as “The Dominican Nightmare”, he followed that up with a split-decision win over Sean Spencer at UFC 171. A unanimous decision loss to Neil Magny came next, before Garcia rebounded with a victory against Mike Swick.
Former UFC champ Sean Strickland dealt Garcia his second knockout defeat at a UFC Fight Night event in Pittsburgh. Garcia later recovered with a first-round knockout of Mike Pyle that same year, earning a Performance of the Night bonus.
Garcia finished 2017 with a 1–1 record, dropping a unanimous decision to Tim Means in Oklahoma City before closing the year with a rear-naked choke submission victory over Muslim Salikhov.
Following losses to Ryan LaFlare and Court McGee, Garcia was released from the UFC in 2018.
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The former fighter is now facing the prospect of significant jail time. He’s been “charged with drug trafficking and possession of proceeds of crime”, and the quantity of drugs involved suggests he could receive a hefty prison sentence if convicted.
After leaving the UFC, Garcia extended his career internationally, fighting twice for the Russian promotion ACA. Both bouts ended in KO losses, in 2019 and early 2020.