More than 280 kilograms of illicit drugs -- believed to be worth over $14 million on the street -- were seized and dozens of people were arrested as part of a province-wide investigation involving Toronto police, York police and the Canadian Border Services Agency.

At a news conference at Toronto Police Services headquarters Thursday, investigators announced that the three departments were working together along with others as part of an investigation dubbed Project Beyond.

During the press conference, police displayed guns and drugs seized from an alleged criminal organization that operated mainly in Ontario, but whose reach went beyond provincial borders.

Twenty-seven people have been arrested and many of them are facing criminal organization and drug trafficking charges.

Along with the drugs, police said they also seized eight guns and more than 400 rounds of ammunition, an overcapacity magazine and a silencer.

And police said they’re not finished. They’re going after nearly $3.5 million worth of assets of some of the accused, including bank accounts, condominiums, watches and money counters.

According to police, the alleged criminal organization did not have a name, but Toronto Supt. Gord Sneddon said the group was “very significant.”

“We made a significant dent in the drug trade,” he said. “I'm not naive enough to believe we made a very significant dent, but we've made a significant dent in this particular criminal organization."

The group had a clear hierarchy, police said, adding that a Richmond Hill man is at the top of the pyramid. Police identified the man as Kevin Er, who investigators say has been known to York Regional Police for some time as a drug trafficker.

“The weapons -- it’s part of the drug trade,” York police Insp. Dieter Boheim told reporters Thursday. “We see it over and over again in investigations. Generally speaking, where there's that amount of drugs, there will be firearms. It's just part of the trade."

In a news release, police alleged that the following has been seized:

  • Various controlled substances totaling 283.2 kilos of product with a street value of $14,054,100
  • 103 kilos of cutting agents with a street value of $164,220
  • Eight firearms, 418 rounds of ammunition, and prohibited devices, including a silencer for a Tec 9, and four overcapacity magazines
  • Assets believed to be gained from a criminal lifestyle with a value of $3,393,800 (bank accounts, condominiums, phones, watches, money counters)
  • $2,364,925 in cash (Canadian & U.S. currency)

It is further alleged that the details of the controlled substance seizure are:

  • Cocaine: 80.8 kilos, for a total street value of $7,900,000
  • Marihuana: 65 kilos, for a total street value of $325,000
  • Crystal Meth: 3.3 kilos, for a total street value of $198,000
  • Opium: 8 kilos, for a total street value of $160,000
  • MDMA: 24 kilos, for a total street value of $481,200
  • Ketamine: 101 kilos, for a total street value of $2,500,000
  • Psilocibin: 1.1 kilos, for a total street value of $22,000
  • Fentanyl: 79 grams, for a total street value of $7,900
  • Methamphetamine: 41,600 pills, 20.5 kilos, for a total street value of $2,460,000

The grand total for controlled substance seizures is 283.2 kilo, for a total street value of $14,054,100.

It is further alleged that firearm seizures were:

  • Tec 9 Machine Pistol
  • AR 15 Machine Rifle
  • Springfield .40 Cal Handgun
  • Ekol .38 Cal. Handgun
  • 9mm Mini Glock
  • 30/30 Rifle
  • Two 12 Guage Shotguns

It is further alleged that ammunition seizures were:

  • 65 .762 rounds
  • 180 9mm rounds
  • 111 12 gauge rounds
  • 62 .40 cal rounds