The streets of Thunder Bay are a little cleaner following the seizure of two guns, drugs, and cash.
The Ontario Provincial Police has laid 72 charges following the execution of three search warrants in the city.
In January the OPP-led Provincial Joint Forces Guns and Gangs Enforcement Team started an investigation with officers from the OPP, Thunder Bay Police Service and Nishnawbe Aski Police Service, into a multi-jurisdictional drug trafficking network in Thunder Bay.
“This investigation is a clear demonstration of law enforcement disrupting criminals and illegal firearms from migrating into our northern communities,” explained OPP Detective Inspector Lee Fulford. “It is imperative that police services across Ontario continue to collaborate, and this investigation shows the importance of this collaboration regardless of the geographical distance.”
The investigation resulted in the warrants being executed in the city’s south end on May 30.
During the searches, the following items were seized:
- Two 9mm handguns
- One extended magazine with 23 rounds of ammunition
- One 31-round high-capacity magazine with 11 rounds of ammunition
- Approximately $25,000 in cash
- Seven acetaminophen and oxycodone tablets
- Approximately 300 grams of suspected crack cocaine
- Approximately four grams of suspected fentanyl
- Four digital scales
- Ten cell phones
Eight people from across the country are facing charges in the investigation including:
- 27-year-old Brooklin, Ontario resident
- 16-year-old Toronto, Ontario resident
- 17-year-old L’avenir, Quebec resident
- 25-year-old Cambridge, Ontario resident
- 24-year-old Thornhill, Ontario resident
- 22-year-old Calgary, Alberta resident
- 2 Thunder Bay residents
Six of the accused remain in custody, while two have been released. All the accused have future court dates in Thunder Bay.
The investigation leading to the seizure is still ongoing. The OPP is requesting that residents with any information about the possession, manufacturing or trafficking of illegal drugs or firearms are to contact the OPP’s non-emergency number at 1-888-310-1122.
