On Wednesday morning, local police services announced a stunning development in a year long investigation into an organized crime ring in Timmins.
The investigation, known as 'Project Ashley' concluded with the execution of 11 search warrants in Timmins, as well as one in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
The initiative was a result of co-operation between the Ontario Provincial Police and the Timmins Police Service.
Fifteen people have been charged directly with Commision of an Offence for a Criminal Organization, along with another ten people charged with drug and property related offences.
“Organized crime is too big for any one law enforcement agency. As a result, we have partnered in an effort to combat organized crime and address the impact it has on the safety of the communities we serve” said Fern Labelle, OPP North East Region Chief Superintendent.
“Since July 2014, members of the Organized Crime Team in North East Region have been actively engaged in an intelligence led investigation. The investigation is focused on an organized crime group operating in the Timmins area involved in illegal drug trafficking and other violent crimes. Our goal is to dismantle organized crime and maintain public safety” added Labelle.
During the raids, over 2 kilograms of cocaine was seized as well as a cocaine press, as well as 1.3 kilograms of Marijuana.
Police also seized a number of vehicles in connection with the crime ring including a Yukon Denali, a Jeep Grand Cherokee, and a Land Rover. Police also seized approximately $115,000 in Canadian cash.
List of the persons charged:
-Michael Bonato, 37, of Timmins
-Scott Brunette, 34, of Timmins
-Maurice Chiasson, 46, of Timmins
-Caitlyn Cooke, 26, of Timmins
-Guy Cote, 51, of Timmins
-Armand Dumoulin, 35, of Timmins
-Louis Gauthier, 40, of Timmins
-Joey Gauthier, 18, of Timmins
-Tanya Gibson, 34, of Timmins
-Joel Gregg, 38, of Iroquois Falls
-Joe Krakcovic, 37, of Timmins
-Aaron Krofchick, 39, of Timmins
-Tyler Labelle, 19, of Timmins
-Samantha Leach, 20, of Timmins
-Claude Maisonneuve, 45, of Timmins
-Daniel Martineau, 29, of Timmins
-Lance Mills, 33, of Timmins
-Jesse Mounsey, 33, of Timmins
-Kevin Nadeau, 35, of Timmins
-Anthony Onolack, 48, of Cochrane
-Trevor Payne, 42, of Timmins
-Cory Pellizzari, 43, of Timmins
-Shawn Richardson, 29, of Timmins
-Joey Sear, 49, of Timmins
-Sherry Veldman, 50, of Timmins
Rick Barnum, Chief Superintendent of the OPP's Organized Crime Bureau, says this was a very significant amount of drugs removed from the streets.
“That's a devastating amount. It's not healthy for our communities. I always like to point out that these individuals, at higher levels of organized crime groups, they don't just deal in cocaine and narcotics. They deal in violence. They deal in the destruction of our families. They deal in addiction. They deal to de-stabilize and disrupt the health of communities” said Barnum.
Members of both the OPP and the TPS don't believe that Timmins has a worse drug problem than any other community in Ontario, noting that it is a constant battle for law enforcement agencies everywhere.
They added that while most of the drugs were destined to be sold and consumed in Timmins proper, surrounding communities would likely be supplied by the same group.
TimminsToday spoke with Barnum for more on the operation.
“We had probably close to 100 officers engaged in the arrests over the last 24 hours. Throughout the course of the investigation over the last year, we call on resources from different locations as well to come in and help when needed. It's a big effort, a big group” he said.
Barnum was asked about the usage of undercover officers during Project Ashley.
“There's always different elements of undercover work involved in these. I don't want to get into specific details, but yes absolutely, we do undercover work to make these arrests” said Barnum.
Fern Labelle of the OPP, does not believe this drug ring had any ties to the other recent busts in the area, both in Timmins and the Kirkland Lake areas.
“There's no linkages there that we've seen. It's a possibility, but that hasn't been determined at this point” said Labelle.
Several of the offenders are still in police custody awaiting court dates. Many others are scheduled to appear in court in August.
The following is a release from the Ontario Provincial Police:
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TIMMINS – Members of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau (OCEB) have dismantled an organized crime group that was controlling illegal drug distribution in the Timmins area.
Police have charged 25 individuals with numerous Criminal Code (CC) and Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) offences after executing search warrants in northeastern Ontario and Niagara Falls on July 28, 2015.
The 12 month long investigation named project ASHLEY, focused on disrupting and dismantling an organized crime group operating in the area of Timmins.
The investigation concluded with the execution of 11 search warrants in Timmins and one search warrant in Niagara Falls.
The warrants were executed with the assistance of the South Porcupine OPP Detachment, OPP Tactics and Rescue Unit (TRU), OPP Emergency Response Team (ERT), the OPP Canine Unit, OPP Northeast Region Crime Unit, Niagara Regional Police Service and the Timmins Police Service.
Fifteen people have been specifically charged with Commission of an Offence for a Criminal Organization.
Some of those persons, along with ten other individuals, have been charged with numerous drug and property related offences.
During this investigation over 2 kilograms of cocaine was seized along with approximately 1.3 kilograms of marihuana, one cocaine press, and approximately $115,000 in Canadian currency.
The street value of the drugs seized is estimated to be approximately $120,000.
Also seized were 14 vehicles including a number of high end SUVs.
An addendum containing the full list of charged persons and photos of seized assets are available at: http://www.opp.ca/media/ashley.
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