$1.9 million worth of suspected drugs are off the street in Northeastern Ontario thanks to a 16-month OPP and Greater Sudbury Police investigation.
Officials say more than two dozen people, many from the Greater Toronto Area, are facing nearly 200 charges.
Police say Project Saturate, which started in January 2024 to investigate drug trafficking in the Greater Sudbury area and surrounding communities, identified two Toronto-based street gangs.
20 search warrants were executed in Sudbury and several southern Ontario cities including Mississauga, Hamilton and Toronto, with 22 people arrested and warrants issued for another three.
Along with other suspected drugs, police say officers seized 12 kg of suspected cocaine, more than 7 kg of suspected fentanyl, and 8 kg of cannabis.
“Illicit drugs pose a serious threat to the safety, security, and overall wellness of our community,” says Greater Sudbury Police Chief Sara Cunningham. “This significant seizure is a clear example of the harm caused by organized crime and the importance of taking decisive action.”
OPP Acting Detective Superintendent Andy Bradford, Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau says the quantity of drugs seized in a community like Sudbury is significant.
“We also seized four firearms, which supports notion that the presence of street gangs brings the potential for gun violence,” says Bradford. “The OPP will continue to work with our municipal partners like the Greater Sudbury Police Service to stem the flow of illegal drugs and firearms and dismantle the criminal networks and street gangs that have proliferated in these communities.”
More than a quarter million dollars, a boat and a vehicle were also seized.
