Drug bust.
Police confiscated $2.7 million worth in street value drugs over the course of an 18-month investigation. More than 200 charges were laid and $2.5 million was seized in assets, cash and precious metals.
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Years worth of tips from Vanier residents has resulted in one Ottawa Police Service’s largest drug busts.
An 18-month-long drug investigation by Ottawa Police Services, RCMP and the OPP resulted in 226 charges against 22 people in Ottawa, Almonte and Toronto. Police chief Vern White credited Vanier for the success of the investigation.
“It is thanks to concerned citizens in Vanier, who called police about drug dealing, that the Ottawa Police Street Crime Unit began an investigation,” White said.
Twenty search warrants were issued. Between Dec. 5-7, 16 residences in Ottawa, three in Almonte and one in Toronto were searched.
Over the period of the investigation, approximately $2.5 million in assets, cash and precious metals were seized. Thirteen vehicles and 14 firearms were also seized and $2.7 million of street value of drugs was confiscated. Sgt. Mike Laviolette said this was one of the largest drug investigations in Ottawa.
One Ottawa family was arrested during the investigation.
“They were not on our radar until the street crime found them,” Laviolette said.
RCMP A Division Commanding Officer, Assistant Commissioner Francois Bidal added that the RCMP is dedicated to maintaining a safe Canada and this joint investigation and the effort Vanier residents put towards aiding police during the investigation is one step in the right direction.
Vanier Community Association vice-president, Elaine Léger said community safety is a shared responsibility.
“In Vanier we take this responsibility seriously because we have heart and care for each others safety,” Léger said.
Police say the investigation is ongoing.