TORONTO -- A Toronto man is facing 78 criminal charges after police said they recovered more than $18 million in illegal drugs and 65 firearms at his apartment last month - the biggest single-day seizure in the service’s history.
“We allege that these guns were destined for the street gang use and as such, presented a significant threat to public safety to all of our communities,” Supt. Domenic Sinopoli said at a news conference held on Wednesday afternoon.
An investigation started earlier this year when officers working out of 22 Division became aware of information relating to drug trafficking activity in the area.
As the investigation progressed, Sinopoli said officers became aware of a “potential location of drug dealing activity” near Parklawn and Berry roads in Etobicoke – 70 Cloverhill Street, unit five.
“This is typically a very quiet and residential neighbourhood that is primarily made up of detached homes, low-rise apartment buildings, parks, playgrounds, and elementary schools,” Insp. Tim Crone said at the news conference.
A search warrant was executed at the property on the afternoon of Nov. 17.
When officers entered the apartment they located one occupant, identified by police as 45-year-old Daniel Dubajic. He was the registered tenant of the unit, Crone said.
"My investigators tell me he was very calm, very cooperative, didn't really say too much, and knew his day has come," Crones said.
Dubajic’s landlord, Joe Bakes, told CTV News Toronto that he lived in the unit for 22 years. Bakes said he worked as a painter, was involved in naturopathy and always paid his rent on time.
While searching the property on that day, Crone said, police found 181 kg of drugs with an estimated street value of $18,240,000, firearms, which were in plain sight of the officers, as well as ammunitions and firearm magazines.
In total, police seized 106 kg of cocaine, 61 kg of crystal methamphetamine, 5 kg of fentanyl, 9 kg of MDMA, 65 firearms, including 57 handguns and eight long-barreled and semi-automatic guns, more than 15,000 rounds of ammunition, and several high-capacity and extended ammunition magazines.
At the news conference, Supt. Steve Watts said officials are in the process of tracing the firearms. So far, 37 of the seized handguns have been traced to the United States and two were traced to Canada. Five of the long guns have been traced to Canada.
The officers said this is the biggest single-day seizure in the service’s history and noted that the accused has no previous history of drugs or firearms.
Dubajic now faces 78 charges and is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 7. None of these charges has been proven in court.
Police said the investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with further information is asked to contact officers at 416-808-2200 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477).
