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Three arrested in Northern Ontario $8M drug bust

20200720 opp cruiser
OPP file photo

The Ontario Provincial Police are reporting they took down a major drug operation in West Nipissing in a Sept. 15 raid on two properties that resulted in the seizure of some $8 million worth of illegal drugs.

The raid was an extensive operation involving both the OPP’s Sudbury and North Bay Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau, the Northeast Regional Community Street Crime Unit (CSCU), North East Region Emergency Response Team (ERT), Central and Western Regions Tactical Response Units (TRU), North East Region Canine Unit (K9), North East Region Provincial Asset Forfeiture Unit (PAFU), Provincial Joint Forces Cannabis Enforcement Team and North East Region Critical Incident Command (CIC).

This large team of officers executed Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) search warrants at two separate residences in West Nipissing.

The operation broke up what seems to have been an extensive grow operation, with officers seizing cannabis in various stages of production, as well as drug paraphernalia, packing materials and residential and financial documents. Also seized was a firearm with ammunition, two crossbows, and various “consumable products” containing cannabis, as well as cocaine and methamphetamine tablets. Police also seized $700,000 in Canadian currency.

Three people were charged in the raid.

A 33-year-old West Nipissing man faces one count of cultivating, propagating, or harvesting more than four cannabis plants, possession for the purpose of distributing, possessing cannabis for the purpose of selling, careless storage of a firearm, knowledge of unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of methamphetamine and possession of a Schedule III substance.

The man was released on an undertaking and has a court date of Nov. 4 in West Nipissing.

Also charged were two residents of River Valley. 

A 48-year-old man was charged with possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, possession of a firearm contrary to a prohibition order, possession of cannabis for the purpose of selling and possession for the purpose of distributing. He was released on an undertaking with a court date of Nov. 4.

A 41-year-old was charged with possessing cannabis for the purpose of selling, possession for the purpose of distributing and possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000. The accused has a court date of Nov. 4.