Ontario police bust alleged dark-web trafficking network that used Canada Post to ship drugs
The Ontario Provincial Police announce the seizure of 43.5 kilograms of fentanyl in two large-scale drug trafficking investigations.
Ontario Provincial Police say they've dismantled a drug ring that allegedly used the dark web and Canada Post to ship drugs across the country.
At a news conference on Tuesday, police announced they seized more than $2.5 million worth of drugs destined to be shipped to 'marketplace' buyers in British Columbia, Nunavut, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island.
A first-of-its-kind investigation dubbed Project Bionic, police said they began their investigation into the alleged criminal network in November 2024. On March 10, OPP officers arrested two suspects at a Canada Post location in Ottawa where they seized 86 packages containing various drugs that police say were about to be shipped nationwide.
Project Bionic
Ontario police say Project Bionic resulted in the seizure of $2.5 million worth of narcotics which were being shipped using Canada Post and other courier services. (OPP)
Police said they then executed four search warrants that day in the Ottawa area which led them to seize a total of 27 kilograms and 64,000 tables of 37 different illegal drugs, as well as a stolen 2018 Ferrari 488 Spider convertible valued at more than $400,000, 11 other stolen vehicles valued at $730,000, a handgun, and $95,000 in cash.
OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique said the bust exposes the 'alarming volume' of dangerous drugs being sold on the dark web.
'These arrests show that law enforcement can track and stop even the most complex online trafficking operations. This investigation also plainly demonstrates the connections between drug trafficking and other crimes, such auto theft and illegal firearms,' he wrote in a statement.
Police describe the dark web as a 'hidden portion' of the internet, which can't be found on traditional search engines and often requires special software to access.
Four suspects from Ottawa are facing a combined 80 charges in connection with the bust.
OPP announce record fentanyl seizure
Provincial police also unveiled the results of a second investigative effort on Tuesday which yielded the force's largest-ever fentanyl seizure.
Project Golden, an 11-month- probe supported by the Hamilton Police Service and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, resulted in 140 charges being laid against 15 individuals who were allegedly trafficking narcotics in southwestern Ontario.
The investigation began in July 2024 and culminated in the execution of search warrants at 16 residences and eight vehicles in Oxford County, Norfolk County, Hamilton, Mississauga, York Region, Burlington and Toronto with assistance from local police.
The OPP said officers seized 38 kilograms of fentanyl as a result, which officials described as 'an amount capable of taking the lives of a moderately sized city.'
Another 19.5 kilograms of methamphetamine and 5.5 kilograms of suspected cocaine were also seized, in addition to three firearms and $121,600 in cash. The estimated street value of the drugs seized is $5.4 million.
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