logo
Over $3.2M worth of drugs off the street in massive Ontario drug bust

Over $3.2M worth of drugs off the street in massive Ontario drug bust

Global News6 days ago

Four people have been arrested and millions of dollars worth of drugs are off the street in what London police are calling the largest fentanyl seized in the force's history.
In a press conference on Wednesday, police announced they had seized more than $3.2 million worth of illegal drugs, including $2.77 million worth of fentanyl, $465,500 worth of crystal methamphetamine and $47,400 in cocaine.
Police also seized five firearms, including a semi-automatic pistol, $247,944 in Canadian currency, and $5,526 in American currency, among other items.
London's police chief said the bust caused a significant disruption to drug trafficking and violence in London.
'Today's announcement highlights the critical importance of strong enforcement and community collaboration in addressing the opioid crisis and associated violence in our community,' said Chief Thai Truong.
Story continues below advertisement
'Since 2019, the opioid crisis has had a devastating impact on our community, claiming on average 120 lives each year in London alone. More than 80 per cent of these tragic deaths are directly linked to fentanyl. This crisis is not just local, it extends provincially and nationally.'
View image in full screen
Over $2.7 million seized in largest fentanyl bust in London police history. Via London Police Servince X
Deputy Chief Paul Bastien touched on the dangers the drugs pose to the community at the press conference.
Get breaking National news
For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy
Estimated to be about 100 times more potent than morphine, Bastien warned that just two milligrams of fentanyl — or the size of a few grains of salt — can be lethal, depending on the purity and individual's tolerance.
'While crystal methamphetamine does not carry the same level of toxicity in terms of overdoses as fentanyl does, its long-term effects are devastating,' Bastien warned.
Story continues below advertisement
Det. Sgt. Jon Meinen says the investigation started in November 2024 following a tip from the community that led to the discovery of a 'sophisticated drug trafficking network set up with ties to Toronto and to Hamilton.'
On April 29, 2025, London police along with the help of provincial, Toronto, and Hamilton police forces, executed six search warrants at three addresses in London, two locations in Toronto and one location in Hamilton.
Four suspects were located and arrested. They are facing a total of 117 offences, including the production of a schedule 1 substance under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, specifically the production of fentanyl.
During the execution of the warrant, Meinen said police also seized equipment commonly used to manufacture fentanyl, including cooking apparatus masks, gloves, digital scales and packing materials.
'Taken together, this evidence revealed a sophisticated and well-established operation, one that was taking highly potent fentanyl, processing it with various additives, preparing it for sale, and eventual consumption,' Meinen said.
Two of the three men arrested have since been released on bail with a third set to appear in court Friday.
Anyone with information in relation to this incident is asked to call the London Police Service or Crime Stoppers.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Bear spray attack near Vancouver high school caught on camera
Bear spray attack near Vancouver high school caught on camera

Global News

time32 minutes ago

  • Global News

Bear spray attack near Vancouver high school caught on camera

Police believe several Vancouver high school students were involved in an incident last week in which people waiting at a bus stop were hit with bear spray. It happened last Tuesday on Hastings Street near Templeton Drive, a few blocks from Templeton Secondary School. Video posted to social media shows a person dressed in black crossing the street before pulling out a canister and spraying people with a substance. They then run back across Hastings Street. Vancouver police say they've spoken to both victims and witnesses, and believe the suspects are students from a nearby high school. One local parent told Global News her son arrived at the scene shortly after the suspects took off. 2:12 Vancouver puts restrictions on the sale of bear spray 'He and his friends were talking about it a lot and kids these days don't admit when things stress them out, but I can't imagine that it didn't. It's a very traumatic experience,' said Maia Griffiths, whose son attends Templeton. Story continues below advertisement 'Usually when something happens that's traumatic, there's an email that goes out to the parents and an offer of help to any kids struggling with whatever it is, and there's been nothing like that so far.' Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy In a statement, the Vancouver School Board said safety remains a top priority and that bear spray is banned on school property. However, it added that the incident happened after school hours and off school property. 'This is a police incident and an investigation by VPD is ongoing. In instances with incidents outside of school hours, staff at schools work directly with VPD if/as they require,' the district said. Vancouver police said they are working with administrators and that an investigation is ongoing.

Tracy Duncan's slaying is Ottawa's fourth femicide this year
Tracy Duncan's slaying is Ottawa's fourth femicide this year

Ottawa Citizen

time4 hours ago

  • Ottawa Citizen

Tracy Duncan's slaying is Ottawa's fourth femicide this year

Police have identified four Ottawa deaths as 'femicides' this year, exceeding the total of three femicides reported in all of 2024. Article content The Ottawa Police Service became the first Canadian police force to use 'femicide' in its public statements in 2022, even before adopting a formal definition. Article content Article content A femicide is generally defined as 'the killing of women and girls because of their gender,' often driven by gender roles, discrimination towards women and girls or unequal power relations between women and men. Article content Article content The four Ottawa deaths declared femicides so far this year: Article content • Tracy Duncan ,54, was found dead at her residence on Carousel Crescent in Gloucester at about 11:30 a.m. on Monday. Stephen Doane, 57, was arrested by police and was charged with second-degree murder. Article content • Renée Descary, 51, was stabbed to death on Heney Street in Lowertown on April 1. Oliver Denai, 24, was charged with second-degree murder. Article content • Brenda Rus, 60, was found dead in a residence on Brentbrook Crescent in Barrhaven on April 6. Robert Rus, 61, was charged with first-degree murder. Article content Article content • Rachelle Desrochers, 54, was reported missing in April and had last been seen March 14 at a McDonald/s restaurant on Elgin Street. Investigators said they had reason to believe she was killed and her body was in a local landfill, where search efforts were ongoing. Joshua Blair, 25, was charged with second-degree murder and indignity to a body on May 26. Article content A Christmas 2024 slaying was also later determined to be a femicide. Jolene Arreak died in a home on Spadina Avenue on Hintonburg on Dec. 25. Manasi Foo, 35 was charged with second-degree murder and the attempted murder of a surviving victim, who was treated in hospital and released. Article content According to preliminary Ottawa figures for last year, released in January, 6,636 intimate partner violence (IPV) incidents were reported in 2024, resulting in 3,355 charges laid, an increase from the the previous year.

Police confirm shots fired at house in Surrey linked to extortion
Police confirm shots fired at house in Surrey linked to extortion

Vancouver Sun

time5 hours ago

  • Vancouver Sun

Police confirm shots fired at house in Surrey linked to extortion

The owner of a mansion that was shot at twice in under two weeks in Surrey's Panorama Ridge neighbourhood was being targeted by extortionists, Surrey police have confirmed. 'SPS investigators now believe that the two shots fired at the incidents at the residence is extortion-related and can confirm that the SPS is leading the investigation into that,' Staff Sgt. Lindsey Houghton of Surrey Police Services said in an email. No one was injured in either shooting but at least two bullet holes about 10 mm in diameter were left in the wrought iron fence in front of the beige stucco home. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Despite police installing a tower with surveillance cameras and occasionally parking an unmanned marked police SUV in front of the house on the 12000 block of Coulthard Road, the shootings have left some residents in the neighbourhood feeling unsafe to go for a walk in the normally quiet neighourhood. Police set up the cameras after the first shooting, which happened on May 14 at 3 a.m., he said. The second shooting was 12 days later, on May 26, also at 3 a.m. 'Police have not identified any suspects and the investigation is active and ongoing,' he said. Houghton said police wouldn't release further details 'because that forms part of the investigation and would reveal evidence, which, for obvious reasons, we cannot do.' Neither would he say whether the surveillance cameras captured anything useful to police or who police believe may be behind the extortion attempt. He said publicizing those details could jeopardize the investigation. He said Surrey's investigative services bureau 'speaks with counterparts across the country, including in Edmonton and Peel Regional Police (near Toronto), both of whom have experienced a number of extortion-related files in recent years.' The Surrey force didn't immediately have any data about the number of extortion-related cases it is investigating or has recommended charges for in recent years, he said. The surveillance cameras, but not the unmanned SUV, were in front of the house when the second shooting happened but police didn't receive a call about it until 8:30 a.m. that day, five hours after it happened, Houghton said after the second shooting. He also said then the owner of the house has no connection to any crimes and police believe the incident was targeted and not random. Police in both Edmonton and Peel Region have been investigating extortion attempts targeting South Asian Canadian business owners. A former B.C. solicitor general, Kash Heed, said last year that South Asian business owners in the Lower Mainland have paid millions of dollars to extortionists threatening violence, according to B.C.'s former solicitor general. Heed said one Surrey extortion victim he's aware of received daily threatening calls, with verbal and text messages becoming increasingly detailed, referencing his family members locally and in India. 'He was being sent graphic pictures of what would happen to his grandchildren and kids if he didn't pay. Frustrated by the lack of police assistance, he transferred more than $3 million to bank accounts in India.' In the latest Surrey case, Houghton confirmed the surveillance camera was on and recording at the time of the Sunday shooting and says it is 'quite obvious and overt' and is meant as a deterrent. 'I can't speak for someone who might not realize it's a camera trailer or not assume it's on. Most people would think it's on, as it is,' he said. Surrey police works with a provincial joint forces operation formed to investigate extortion attempts, various RCMP units and the anti-gang Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of B.C., he said. Messages left at the business owner's office and on his son's cellphone were not returned. With files from Sarah Grochowski, Postmedia News

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store