Biggest drug bust in Halton police history announced
Police tape is shown in Toronto on Tuesday, May 2, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graeme Roy
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.
Police say that the investigation, dubbed Project Icarus, started with just a single suspect in October, 2020 but soon “grew in scope and size” and eventually expanded to include assistance from the Criminal Intelligence Service Ontario, Peel Regional Police, and the Canada Border Services Agency.
They say that throughout the course of the investigation 130 judicial authorizations were obtained and “a significant quantity of illicit drugs and firearms” were seized.
The haul included more than 1,000 kilograms of cannabis in bulk, edible and resin form, 27 kilograms of cocaine and 15 kilograms of MDMA.
Police say that they also seized three firearms, including a 12 gauge shotgun with 1,100 rounds of ammunition, and more than $100,000 in currency.
They say that the investigation also resulted in the “disruption of cocaine processing and illegal cannabis processing facilities.”
“Through hard work and collaboration our dedicated officers turned a small investigation of a single suspect into a significant project. Icarus has removed drugs, guns and criminals from the streets of not just Halton but the entire GTA,” Halton Regional Police Service Deputy Chief Jeff Hill said in a news release. I’m extremely proud of the work done by all the officers involved. Our members continue to demonstrate that if you choose to participate in organized crime in our region threatening the safety of our community, we will aggressively target you and arrest you.”
Police say that the 12 suspects taken into custody are facing a combined 44 charges.
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