With law enforcement agencies from across Canada and the US collaborating, authorities were able to seize $55 million worth of cocaine and methamphetamines. In May, police executed 35 search warrants in Toronto and the GTA, Sarnia, London, Guelph, Kitchener, Montreal, Halifax, Surrey, Calgary and Winnipeg. A single-vehicle crash has closed a section of a main artery into Halifax during the morning commute Wednesday. Police say fentanyl, an opioid about 100 times more toxic than morphine, has been linked to nearly 580 deaths in the province in the past five years. The investigation led to separate arrests of 12 individuals in Calabria, Italy, according to CTV News. John Byard, 40, of Mississauga, has been charged with possession of a controlled substance for trafficking and possession of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Shawn Clarkson of Niagara Regional Police said the case was the first time he has heard of Mexican cartel members operating inside Ontario. Calgary city council has passed a bylaw introducing new regulations regarding single-use plastic items, including mandatory fees on eco-friendly alternatives. Police estimate the street value of the seized drugs ismore than $61 million. Roughly enough Heroin to supply an estimated 500,000 heroin users for a month. Police have arrested three men on suspicion of importing the cocaine, two in May and one in July. Chatham-Kent police have arrested a suspect after break and enters at two local restaurants. A total of $17 million in street value of drugs and $308,000 in cash were seized during the execution of 29 search warrants across Toronto. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Cosmin Dzsurdzsa. Yup, it was hidden in plain sight in a cornfield. The payments, intended to help offset inflationary pressures, will be received in monthly instalments of $100. Buffone and Kompon were each convicted of possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking; trafficking cocaine; conspiracy to import and possess cocaine for the purpose of trafficking; and, committing offences in association with a criminal organization. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Evelyn Dick vanished after serving time for killing her infant son. Det. Due to the sensitive and/or legal subject matter of some of the content on globalnews.ca, we reserve the ability to disable comments from time to time. Gutting IRS Will Help Wealthy Avoid More Taxes | Opinion, Eliminating Income Tax Means More Money for Americans | Opinion, The US Is Being Flooded with Illegal Drugs by China, German Police Seize Drugs Shaped Like Donald Trump, People Are Getting High on Drugs for the Eclipse, Scientists Discover How Magic Mushrooms Make Psilocybin. presentation-ready copies of Toronto Star content for distribution Here are three of Ontarios biggest drug busts. The Canadian retailer has announced the planned locations of 25 'Zellers store experiences' withing Hudsons Bay. rights reserved. A few of the random stones would have cocaine. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. Terrence Hancock, 45, of London, has been charged with careless storage of a firearm, unauthorized possession of a prohibited weapon, possession of a weapon knowing it is unauthorized, possession of a restricted weapon with ammunition, possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking and unlawfully produce substance. Beach Drive is now open to the public in Wasaga Beach after the popular road was closed for several years. (York Regional Police). TORONTO Police in Ontario have arrested five men and seized $5 million worth of illegal drugs in what officials are calling the largest clandestine lab, methamphetamine and chemical seizure in the provinces history. A Mafia bust believed to be the biggest in the Canadian province of Ontario has resulted in 15 arrests and the seizure of homes and sports cars worth $33 million. They are facing a combined total of 182 criminal code charges. The average high for this time of year is -1.1 C Environment Canada forecasting near double digits by Thursday. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! An 11-month-long investigation resulted in the seizure of over $25 . The arrests included the reputed head of the crime family, Angelo Figliomeni, who was charged with directing a criminal organization, money laundering and fraud, police said. While the City of Montreal continues its snow-clearing operations from last Fridays storm, there is even more snow in the forecast. Toronto Police announced the largest single-day seizure of drugs in the force's history on Thursday, thanks to a pair of busts combining for a staggering 671 kilograms of drugs with a value of $58 million. Until you provide a price point that is significantly lower, the illicit market does exist, and thats a reality.. Nova Scotia has announced extra resources to alleviate the pressure on strained emergency departments at a cost of 'tens of millions' of dollars, although an exact figure wasnt provided. Police say they believe drugsoriginated in Mexico and came up through the United States. . Three men have been arrested, accused of importing 1,062 kilograms of pure cocaine. is facing a dozen charges after Huron County OPP found him allegedly impaired and passed out in the parking lot of an LCBO while behind the wheel earlier this month, police said. Get a roundup of the most important and intriguing national stories delivered to your inbox every weekday. Deputy Chief Pauline Gray told the . The planets were found near Pembroke, Ontario around 150 kilometres west of Ottawa. Zellers is making its comeback this spring, and there are plans to open two stores in Ottawa and one in Gatineau. Please see our Commenting Policy for more. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Police say that they also seized three firearms, including. A 21-year-old woman who recently worked at a school in Hythe, Alta., has been charged with several sex offences and police believe there may be more victims yet to come forward. It does not store any personal data. A serious crash involving a tractor-trailer hauling a load of logs has closed an intersection in Wellington County just southwest of Arthur. Police say that the 12 suspects taken into custody are facing a combined 44 charges. Members of AOCTF include police forces from the Toronto Police Service, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), York Regional Police, Peel Regional Police, and the Canada Border Service Agency (CBSA). Colombia continues to be the source of the cocaine seized in U.S. territory, with 92 percent of cocaine samples confiscated. On Wednesday, Halton police, working with joint forces, announced 12 people have been arrested and 44 charges have been laid. UBC regrets handling of Turpel-Lafond, as she loses honour at different university, Drinking too much? Toronto Police seized $58 million of drugs in the largest one-day bust in city history. They stood at the head of the sophisticated criminal organization which: had established trade routes and three large, remote commercial warehouses; used secure lines of communication and a fleet of company vehicles; employed meticulous record-keeping; and, drew from a reservoir of shell companies, false identities, and fraudulent documents to lend legitimacy to their operations, the appeals court noted. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. I cant really say the source of the cocaine, to where it was actually produced, Barnum said. Karim-Altamirano is scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 30. They were earlier convicted of running a sophisticated ring that moved two tonnes of cocaine into Ontario between 2011 and 2014. The 1,062 kilograms (2341 lbs) of cocaine is said to be around 97 percent pure and is worth an estimated $60 million. The largest drug bust in Peel Police history reveals a shocking load of illicit narcotics, enough to kill many, many people. Thunder Bay's embattled police chief has resigned ahead of a hearing scheduled next month concerning allegations of misconduct. He commended all investigators involved in the operation, which began in Nov. 2020. 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4. Karim-Altamirano and Orozco-Lomeli are Canadian citizens, while Medina-Gatica is from Costa Rica. There was an error, please provide a valid email address. 2022 A wall of cocaine was put on display as the largest drug seizure in Ontario history was announced at Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) headquarters on Monday. On August 27, 2018 it was announced by the Ontario Provincial Police that they had seized over $250 million dollars worth of cocaine or 1,062 kilograms worth of the illicit drug. Photo of one of three drug labs raided by Ontario police in $5 million dollar seizure. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Chief James Ramerheld a news conference about the bust Tuesdayalongside representatives from the Ontario Provincial Police, York Regional Police and the Canada Border Services Agency. Twenty people are facing rafts of charges each and more than $61 million worth of cocaine, crystal meth and marijuana was seized in what Toronto police are calling the largest drug seizure in the services history. Police raided homes in Collingwood, Wasaga Beach, and the GTA on April 30 and seized over 1.4 kilograms of cocaine, approximately 180 grams of fentanyl . Ontario police make largest drug bust in its history, seize $250M of cocaine. The Office is coming to Toronto this spring, Ryan Reynolds, Catherine O'Hara among stars set for special Canadian Screen Awards, Nearly 200 stolen appliances recovered by Peel police, Ottawa sending 200 Canadian-made armoured vehicles as defence minister visits Ukraine, NDP leader says Liberal government is waging war against the working class, Polar vortex brings Mars-like cold to Russia, could hit Canada next: meteorologists, Eligible Albertans can apply for $600 affordability payments starting today, 'Egg-flation' down in December as most grocery costs fall, but not all, Relatives protest slow autopsy of Nepal plane crash victims, 'Just unacceptable': Air Canada forgets passenger's customized wheelchair in Toronto, Nova Scotia announces additional resources to alleviate pressure on ERs, Anglophone group calls on Quebec for more 'equitable' funding in spring budget, Auger-Aliassime digs deep for major comeback at Aussie Open, Police issue missing persons report for former teacher facing child porn charges, Impaired driver passes out in LCBO parking lot, facing a dozen charges: OPP, Logs scatter after tractor-trailer overturns in Wellington County, Local humane societies seeing surge in surrendered pets, 11-year-old seriously injured in North Bay crash involving accused impaired driver, Serious two-vehicle crash closes Highway 535 east of Sudbury, Thunder Bay's police chief resigns amid suspension, misconduct charges, Here's where Zellers will be opening stores in the Ottawa area, Wellington Street closure hasn't caused 'total failure' for Ottawa's transportation network, report says, Rental rates increase double-digits in Ottawa, report finds, Police nab suspect after break-in at two Chatham restaurants, 5.25 per cent tax increase proposed for LaSalle, Spring-like temperatures continue in Windsor-Essex, Wasaga Beach's Beach Drive reopens after 4 year closure, Aurora man accused of sexually assaulting girl, 14, at his home, Freezing rain makes for a messy morning on the roads. Share; TORONTO -- A dozen people are facing charges after a months-long investigation that culminated in the biggest drug seizure in the history of the Halton Regional Police Service. Two southern Ontario drug traffickers have been hit with life sentences after being convicted in the largest cocaine bust in Ontario history. A massive plantation of 40,000 marijuana plants was discovered by police in a cornfield in eastern Ontario. A drug bust announced today by Collingwood OPP is likely one of the largest ever in the community according to the local detachment commander. New guide on alcohol consumption outlines limits for Canadians, Massive drug bust amid call to action on Ontario opioid crisis, OPP shows off wall of cocaine worth $250M seized in massive bust, 3 GTA men charged in massive cocaine bust by OPP, OPP fear fentanyl was used to cut cocaine seized in massive bust, Drugs seized by OPP likely destined for other parts of Canada, Ron Jeremy in neurocognitive decline and unable to stand trial for rape, judge rules, Polar bear kills woman and boy in rampage through remote Alaskan village, Zellers is making a comeback in Canada this spring. September 29, 2022. Steve Watts said the trap compartments were extremely difficult to detect and penetrate. Police say they . In a news release, investigators said shipping the drugs was made possible by the installation of hydraulic traps in tractor trailers, which were in turn able to smuggle 100 kilograms in a single trip. They also found $966,000 in cash and seized five tractor-trailers and several other vehicles including a Mercedes G-Wagon. "The social cost that this amount of illicit drugs inflicts upon society is immeasurable," Ramer said. Local humane societies have seen a significant surge in the number of pets surrendered over the last year and the cost of living is largely to blame. READ MORE:18 charged, $3M in drugs and fentanyl seized in Ontario, Quebec organized crime probe, VIDEO:3 GTA men charged in massive cocaine bust by OPP. The three men charged are Luis Enrique Karim-Altamirano, 52; Mauricio Antonio Medina-Gatica, 36; and Iban Orozco-Lomei, 45. Winnipeg has seen a sharp increase in the number of people admitted to the hospital with frostbite in the last year. Im extremely proud of the work done by all the officers involved. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. An Ontario man is struggling to get around while on vacation in Chile after Air Canada forgot his customized wheelchair in Toronto. The social cost that this amount of drugs inflicts on society is immeasurable.. Hawkes said during a press conference on Monday. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. All Here's where the GTA locations will be, New tricks leading to alarming rate of car thefts. Drug smugglers had managed to evade sniffer dogs by hiding the cocaine in large stone blocks. Contraband seized during drug investigation Project Icaraus are displayed at Halton Regional Police headquarters on Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021. tap here to see other videos from our team. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Audience Relations, CBC P.O. London police are asking for the public's help locating 48-year-old Dustin Epp. 2022 The court of appeal noted that the sentencing judge failed to take into consideration that Buffone and Kompon committed the offences in association with a criminal organization. LaSalle will host an open house on its 2023 draft budget later this month. Get a roundup of the most important and intriguing national stories delivered to your inbox every weekday. Calgary city council has passed a bylaw introducing new regulations regarding single-use plastic items, including mandatory fees on eco-friendly alternatives. Deputy Chief Pauline Gray said a total of 520 kilos of crystal methamphetamine and 151 kilos of cocaine with an estimated street value of $58 million were seized back on Oct. 5 during a raid on two Toronto homes. Market data provided by Factset. They allegedly seized 444 kilograms of cocaine, 157 kilograms of crystal meth, 427 kilograms of marijuana and 300 oxycodone pills. permissions/licensing, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com. Luis Enrique Karim-Altamirano, 52, of Vaughan, Mauricio Antonio Medina-Gatica, 26, of Brampton and Iban Orozco-Lomeli, 45, of Toronto, have each been charged with: Both Medina-Gatica and Orozco-Lomeli have been released on bail. This first one on the list is actually also the most recent. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Photo provided by the Ontario Provincial Police. The polar vortex hovering over Siberia has generated the coldest temperature on Earth so far this year, and according to meteorologists, it could be headed to Canada next. While the City of Montreal continues its snow-clearing operations from last Fridays storm, there is even more snow in the forecast. Pedestrian seriously injured after being struck in Halifax; section of Robie Street reopens, Calgary will introduce single-use plastics bylaw in 2024, Pedestrian critically injured after being hit in northwest Calgary, 'Makes me very angry': Winnipegger frustrated after pharmacy system failure, New Zellers store set to open in Winnipeg, Winnipeg seeing a spike in frostbite numbers, $80K stolen from North Vancouver business by employee making fraudulent refunds: RCMP, 'A really big deal': UBC at risk of losing eye doctor training program, Here's what we know about Zellers' return to Edmonton this year, Former educational assistant facing sexual assault, luring charges in northern Alberta. We apologize, but your article continues below Toronto Star content for distribution Here are three of Ontarios drug. Passed a bylaw introducing new regulations regarding single-use plastic items, including mandatory fees on eco-friendly alternatives,! 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