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Police say they have busted a gun and drug trafficking ring that spanned Ontario and the United States, with several Londoners charged and some of the illegal weapons believed to have been moved through a First Nation in Southwestern Ontario .
Police seized 27 guns as part of Project Monarch, a 10-month investigation into a gun and drug trafficking ring that stretched across Ontario, including the London area, and into the United States. (York Regional Police photo)
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Police say they have busted a gun and drug trafficking ring that stretched across Ontario and across America, with several Londoners charged and some of the illegal weapons believed to have been moved through a local First Nation.
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York Regional Police said a joint investigation with three other Ontario police forces, including London and Ontario police, plus Canadian and U.S. Border Services, has led to the arrest of 22 people on more than 400 charges.
Three Londoners are among those charged in the investigation, dubbed Project Monarch. It began last October after an investigation into a suspected drug trafficker led police to additional suspects in Brampton and London who authorities believe are involved in cocaine, fentanyl and gun trafficking, police said Wednesday.
Police seized 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl as part of Project Monarch, a 10-month investigation into a gun and drug trafficking ring that stretched across Ontario and across the United States. (York Regional Police photo)
Investigators say they believe some of the illegal firearms were transported through the Walpole Island First Nation, located between Sarnia and Chatham and near the Canada-US border with Port Huron, Michigan.
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The joint force operation ended on July 28 with searches in Brampton, London and Toronto.
Investigators seized 27 handguns, 17 prohibited gun magazines, more than 300 rounds of ammunition, five vehicles and drugs with an estimated street value of more than $1.3 million.
The drugs seized included nine kilograms of cocaine, 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl, 28 grams of heroin, 19 kilograms of cannabis and more than 20,000 Xanax pills. The 10-month investigation led to police searches of 22 homes, two businesses and 19 vehicles in London, Toronto and Brampton, police said.
Three Londoners, aged 41, 44 and 64, face a total of 35 weapons and drug-related charges.
The joint force operation also involved officers from Peel Regional Police, US Homeland Security and Canada Border Services Agency.
– With file from Canadian Press
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