$2 million worth of drugs seized by police west of Toronto

Photo shows the items seized by police during searches in the Greater Toronto Area on March 1, 2024. (Peel Regional Police)

More than $2 million worth of drugs have been seized, and nine people have been charged following an investigation into an alleged criminal network importing illegal narcotics into Canada and distributing them in the Greater Toronto Area and other provinces.

On Wednesday, Peel Regional Police announced the result of its investigation, Project Vegas, which is in collaboration with several municipal, provincial and federal law enforcement agencies, including the Toronto Police Service, Ontario Provincial Police, and Canada Border Services Agency.

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Investigators found that illegal drugs were exported from Middle Eastern countries into other countries, including Canada, using various concealment methods, police said.

They added that after arriving in the country, the drugs were then distributed throughout the Greater Toronto Area, Manitoba and British Columbia.

Last month, investigators executed 11 search warrants in the GTA, which resulted in the seizure of 89.6 kilograms of opium, 13 kilograms of methamphetamine, one Smith and Wesson .40 calibre firearm and about $310,000 bulk currency.

Police said the estimated street value of the drugs is $2,066,000.

Nine people were also taken into custody during the search. One of the accused, 40-year-old Ahmed Morid Abedi from Woodbridge, is facing 16 charges, including five counts of trafficking in a controlled substance and four counts of conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.

The eight other suspects are facing a total of 23 drug-related charges. A tenth person has been charged with breach of trust.

Police are asking anyone with information on the investigation to contact the Specialized Enforcement Bureau at 905-453-2121 extension 3515 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or by visiting peelcrimestoppers.ca.