Historic Investigation Results
(ORILLIA, ON) -Today, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) has announced the results of two major investigations that resulted in a historic seizure of fentanyl, along with a large quantity of cocaine, methamphetamine and prescription drugs.
Fentanyl continues to cause devastation across Ontario. The OPP and our partners are committed to removing the supply of illicit drugs from the communities we serve. The combined efforts of two investigations, Project BIONIC and Project GOLDEN, resulted in the seizure of approximately 43.5 kilograms of fentanyl, which equates to roughly 435,000 potentially lethal street-level doses. To put that into perspective, a population of 435,000 would be the 5th largest urban population centre in the Province of Ontario. Investigators have been conservative with street-level dose estimates, as dose size is subjective and varies from one individual to another. The fentanyl seized through these investigations was mixed with other substances, which has been taken into consideration when estimating street-level doses.
Project BIONIC was a five-month investigation, which aimed at dismantling an operation that used a dark web marketplace to ship a high volume of drugs to locations across the country. This investigation is a first of its kind for the OPP.
Project GOLDEN was an 11-month investigation into a multi-jurisdictional drug trafficking network, affecting several communities across southwestern Ontario. This investigation resulted in the seizure of approximately 38 kilograms of fentanyl, the OPP’s largest fentanyl seizure to date.
In addition to the fentanyl seized through Project BIONIC and Project GOLDEN, these investigations led to the seizure of large quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine, MDMA, heroin, ketamine and prescription drugs. Full details on each investigation – including seizures, accused, charges, photos and graphics – can be found within the Project BIONIC media kit and the Project GOLDEN media kit.
The dangers of illicit fentanyl pose a severe threat to those suffering from substance use disorders,and the prevalence of fentanyl continues to increase. It is a drug sought after by users, and it is not always taken by mistake. Illicit fentanyl can be imported from other source countries or domestically produced with precursor chemicals in clandestine laboratories.
Trafficking opioids is a serious offence. Traffickers are knowingly distributing products that cause potentially lethal harm. The OPP will continue to focus on the illicit production and distribution of fentanyl, aiming to prevent cross-border trafficking, target the supply of precursor chemicals and dismantle criminal networks responsible for producing and trafficking illicit fentanyl.
QUOTES
“As drug trafficking networks evolve in complexity, so too must our investigative strategies. Today’s results demonstrate how our approach continues to address this growing threat. Both Project BIONIC and Project GOLDEN were historic investigations: Project BIONIC as a first-of-its-kind OPP investigation into dark web trafficking, and Project GOLDEN as the largest seizure of fentanyl in OPP history. We remain committed to cutting off supply chains and taking down criminal networks-because every gram of fentanyl we seize is a life potentially saved.” – OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique
“Today’s announcement sends a clear message: we will not tolerate illegal drug trafficking in our province. Our government, under the leadership of Premier Ford, will continue to support Ontario’s police services in their ongoing efforts to protect Ontario and combat illegal drug activity. I want to congratulate the OPP and their partners for this record-setting seizure. The dedication and hard work of law enforcement has once again proven crucial in keeping harmful substances off our streets and dismantling dangerous criminal networks that seek to prey on our communities.” – Michael Kerzner, Solicitor General
“I want to thank and congratulate the OPP and partners for their outstanding work in this major seizure. These investigations have undoubtedly saved lives and reflect the critical role law enforcement plays in keeping our communities safe. Canada remains committed to working closely with provincial and municipal partners across the country to fight the deadly impact of illegal opioids and disrupt the criminal networks behind it.” – Kevin Brosseau, Canada’s Fentanyl Czar
RESOURCES
Media resources including video clips, evidence photos, details regarding charges and accused, as well as graphics can be found within the designated media kit for each investigation at opp.ca/news/#/mediakit.
The livestream of the event is available on the OPP YouTube channel.
