Latest news with #Ewatski
CTV News
2 days ago
- CTV News
Multi-home drug bust nets millions in meth, cocaine: Winnipeg police
Meth, cocaine and cash seized from three homes by Winnipeg police are shown at a news conference at the service's downtown headquarters on July 29, 2025. (Jamie Dowsett/CTV News Winnipeg) A man is facing a slew of charges after a multi-home drug bust turned up millions of dollars in drugs and cash. The Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) said the 'significant seizure' is the result of a months-long investigation launched in April based on a tip to the organized crime unit. WPS Insp. Josh Ewatski said investigators first zeroed in on a suspect and three addresses of interest. Winnipeg Police Service Insp. Josh Ewatski Winnipeg Police Service Insp. Josh Ewatski speaks at a news conference at the service's downtown headquarters on July 29, 2025. (Jamie Dowsett/CTV News Winnipeg) According to police, the man attempted to ship a kilogram of cocaine through the mail to an address outside of Canada, which was seized by the organized crime unit. The suspect was then arrested in May while leaving a home in the 100 block of La Verendrye Street. Police then searched that home, as well as one in the 100 block of Noble Avenue and the 200 block of Mapleglen Drive. These searches turned up 43 kilograms of methamphetamine, nearly 2,000 grams of cocaine, $150,000 in Canadian currency, scales, a vacuum sealer, packaging material and other drug-related paraphernalia. Winnipeg police drug bust Drugs and cash seized by Winnipeg police in a months-long drug investigation are shown at a news conference at the service's downtown headquarters on July 29, 2025. (Jamie Dowsett/CTV News Winnipeg) The meth seizure amounts to about 430,000 individual doses with a street value of over $2 million, Insp. Ewatski said. A 49-year-old man previously known to police is charged with a number of drug-related offences. He was released on an undertaking. 'Drugs are still readily available in the city' This is just the latest in a string of busts by the WPS, Ewatski said. 'Unfortunately, this is one of the larger seizures, but (one of) many that we've had so far this year,' he said at a news conference Tuesday. 'Obviously, drugs are still readily available in the city and the organized crime unit is putting a big dent in how much people who are using this stuff or who are selling can access.' Ewatski said it appears the drugs were being made elsewhere. While he declined to say where they came from, he noted meth is typically made in the United States or Mexico. While only one arrest has been made, Ewatski noted the investigation is ongoing. 'One can typically assume with an operation like this, there's more than one person involved. - With files from CTV's Jamie Dowsett
CBC
12-03-2025
- CBC
Illicit drugs, currency, firearms seized in Winnipeg following drug-trafficking investigation
A network of drug traffickers transported a large quantity of illicit drugs and firearms to Winnipeg from Toronto, Winnipeg police say. Mail services, commercial airplanes, trains, off-road vehicles and boats as well as cars and trucks with hidden compartments were used to transport the drugs, Insp. Josh Ewatski of the Winnipeg Police Service's organized crime unit told reporters on Wednesday. The drugs were distributed throughout Manitoba, including Winnipeg, Portage la Prairie, Thompson and Sandy Bay First Nation, Ewatski said. The drug traffickers also targeted northern communities, including Norway House Cree Nation, Tataskweyak Cree Nation, Nelson House Cree Nation and The Pas. "These individuals were profiting off of these communities by selling cocaine, methamphetamine, hydromorphone and MDMA [ecstasy]," Ewatski said. On Jan. 31, Winnipeg police issued multiple search warrants following a nine-month investigation dubbed Project Lowkey. Manitoba RCMP, Manitoba First Nations Police Service, and police in Saskatoon, Vancouver and Toronto assisted in the investigation. So far, nine people have been arrested and face charges, including a 25-year-old man from Winnipeg and a 19-year-old man from Sandy Bay First Nation who were among those arrested in the province. Both have been charged with three counts of conspiracy to commit an indictable offence. Police are still searching for five people for their alleged involvement in the drug trafficking network, Ewatski said. Police have seized seven loaded firearms, various types of ammunition, cocaine, methamphetamine, hydromorphone pills, drug packaging materials, Canadian currency and three vehicles.
