NEWS RELEASE
ONTARIO PROVINCIAL POLICE
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During the morning of Feb. 20, 2019, members of the North East Region Community Street Crime Unit (CSCU) of the Ontario Provincial Police executed a Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) search warrant at a residence on Dallyn Avenue in the Town of Kapuskasing, Ont.
A male was arrested and police seized suspected methamphetamine, fentanyl, psilocybin, cannabis, cocaine and various prescription medication. Police also seized firearms, ammunition and Canadian currency with a combined estimated street value of $62,000.
Michael Riopel, 35-years-old of Kapuskasing, Ont., has been charged with the following offences:
- Six counts of possession of a schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking contrary to section 5(2) CDSA,
- Possession of a schedule III substance for the purpose of trafficking contrary to section 5(2) CDSA,
- Two counts of possession of a schedule IV substance for the purpose of trafficking contrary to section 5(2) CDSA,
- Possessing cannabis for the purpose of selling contrary to section 10(2) of the Cannabis Act (CA),
- Possession of illicit cannabis contrary to section 8(1)(b) CA,
- Possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime under $5,000 contrary to section 354(1)(a) of the Criminal Code of Canada (CC),
- Four counts of careless storage of firearm, weapon, prohibited device or ammunition contrary to section 86(1) CC,
- Two counts of possession of firearm or ammunition contrary to prohibition order contrary to section 117.01(1) CC,
- Fail to comply with probation order contrary to section 733.1(1) CC, and
- Four counts of fail to comply with recognizance contrary to section 145(3) CC.
Following a bail hearing, the accused was held in custody and is scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Cochrane, Ont. on March 1, 2019, to answer to the charges.
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