A collaborative investigation by Chatham-Kent and officers from across Southwestern Ontario has led to the seizure of close of a $1 million in illicit drugs, as well as a number of weapons.
Conducted over several months, the probe has resulted in police laying 87 charges against seven people, including the arrests of two men from Chatham.
According to a Chatham-Kent Police Service news release, a 37-year-old man from Chatham is charged with six counts of possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking the drugs fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, hydromorphone, oxycodone and ecstasy. He’s also facing 15 charges related to weapons and breach of probation.
A 41-year-old man, also from Chatham, faces five trafficking charges and nine offences related to weapons possession, storage and prohibitions.
Police say the CKPS Intelligence Unit gathered information, and other suspects and locations outside Chatham-Kent were identified, which led to the involvement of the OPP Joint Forces Guns and Gangs Enforcement Team (PGNG) and the St. Thomas Police Service.
With the help of the PGNG, simultaneous search warrants were carried out Oct.4, at four locations in Chatham and four in London and St. Thomas.
More than 3.6 kilograms of fentanyl, 430 grams of methamphetamine, other assorted drugs and a number of weapons including two handguns, two long rifles and assorted ammunition and BB guns were recovered as a result of the investigation.
All told, Project Breakout involved the CKPS, the St. Thomas Street Crime Unit, the Windsor Police Emergency Response Unit and the London Police Tactical Unit, as well as OPP.
