Toronto police say they have seized 22 firearms, including two assault rifles and a submachine gun, and drugs and cash worth well over $24 million as a result of four major gang investigations concluded so far this year.
A total of 28 people face drug and/or weapons charges in relation to four probes that concluded in March, April and May 2017, Insp. Peter Moreira told reporters.
Police said the outcome is the result of four projects, titled Gallo, Panda, Drizzle and Aqua .
Project Gallo seizure worth $19M
In the largest drug seizure of the four, dubbed “Project Gallo,” police allege a network of people were found on May 25 in possession of 78 kilograms of cocaine, a kilogram of fentanyl worth as much as $2.5 million on its own, 44 kilograms of MDMA and 112 kilograms of marijuana.
Acting Insp. Dave Watts said the haul, which included 12 guns and $2.9 million in cash was worth more than $19 million.
Fifteen people were arrested and charged in relation to this investigation, police said.
Project Panda targeted firearms
In a second unrelated investigation dubbed “Project Panda,” police allege a trafficking network consisting of four individuals was operating in the northern GTA and Simcoe County, trading in firearms.
On April 4, police seized seven guns, including two Russian Arsenal Tula SK assault rifles, with 20 round magazines, and an Ingram MAC-10 .45 calibre submachine gun, capable of fully automatic fire.
Etobicoke man arrested in Project Drizzle
In the third police investigation, dubbed “Project Drizzle,” Moreira said that officers in south Etobicoke arrested a 33-year-old man on May 23 who was allegedly carrying a loaded Glock handgun with a laser sight, along with a box of extra ammunition.
A further search of his home allegedly yielded a second loaded Glock handgun, more than one thousand rounds of varying handgun and rifle ammunition, a cocaine press, three kilograms of cocaine and two extended capacity handgun magazines.
Moreira said the discovery was “significant” and understood why it might scare parents who live in the neighbourhood, but he urged anyone who learns of the presence of firearms in their community to come forward to police.
“People don’t have these types of firearms and these types of magazines and numbers of rounds to house in a safe, they’re showing people. People know these guns exist.”
Project Aqua found vehicle trap doors used to transport drugs
“Project Aqua” was the title of the fourth investigation. Watts said a group of suspects operating in Toronto and York Region allegedly built trap door hiding places into two vehicles and used the cars to transport large amounts of cocaine.
On March 30, police allegedly seized 41 kilograms of cocaine, $324,000 in cash, a .38 calibre revolver and a press used to shape cocaine.
Seven people were arrested and charged as a result of these discoveries.
Cocaine is “King,” police say:
Watts says that the prevalence of cocaine in each investigation demonstrates what he’s observed since he started investigating the drug trade in 1991.
“The reality is, powder cocaine is king.”
He said the versatility of the drug and the fact that its price has stayed somewhat constant — $80 to $120 per gram —is what keeps it on top.
“It can be used in a variety of ways, some people use cocaine socially, some people use crack cocaine, some people cut cocaine with fentanyl,” Watts said.
