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IBCRIME OAKVILLE MAN ARRESTED FOLLOWING OPP $8-MILLION BUST DAVID LEA dlea@metroland.com An Oakville man is fac- criminal an Ont rio Provincial Police (ore) investigation, which offi- cers say has resulted in the investigation, dubbed Project Moffatt and led by the OPP Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau Northeast Unit, began in April after police learned of groups allegedly trafficking illicit drugs and illegal weapons in the GTA as well as in Central and North- eastern Ontario. On July 18 and July 19, police executed 14 search warrants at locations in Bay, Engelhart and Picker- ing. The Oakvillesearch wai rant was executed at a resi- dence within a condomini- um on Grovewood Com- mon. Officers arrested 23 peo- ple, including a 26-year-old man from Oakville and a62- year-old man from Burling- s mn. Police say the investiga- tion resulted in the seizure 8 ° 29 Srearms, mainly “12 iKilograms of fenta- nyl; . 25.25 kilograms of co- cain . Five kilograms of crys- tal mmethamphetamin than 260,000 jmeth- amphetamine tablets; * eee 297 in Canadian currel . SL noe in US. currency; and +10 vehicles. Police say the total street value of the drugs and fire- OPP photo The Ontario Provincial Police display firearms and drugs reportedly seized during Project Moffatt. arms seized is more than $8 million. The value of the other seized property is estimated at around $790,000. During a news oe ence on Wednesday, At Chief Superintendent eal Mackey of the OPP Orga- nized Crime Enforcement Bureau called the amount oe nae and weapons Project Mof- ft nothings short of shock- ete said those allegedly involved | in the trafficking operations have put count- less tives: at risk and cont ue to put public safety at risk across the province. "We iw enforcement send this message to anyone participating in trafficking deadly drugs or weapons. You are not welcome in our communities,” said Mack- ey. "Should you decide toen- danger lives through these criminal activities, we will investigate you and we will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law. Itis time to put an end to the distribu- tion of illegal firearms and illicit drugs." OPP Det. Insp. Lee Ful- ford said the three criminal groups, which he alleges in the GTA and had connec- tions to various street gangs. He alleged that in addi- tion to drug trafficking, the three groups pl firearms in America and then smuggled them across. the rder into Canada, where they either sold the guns for a profit or used them to facilitate other criminal activities. Fulford noted that dur- ing Project Moffatt, search warrants were also execut- ed at the Maplehurst Cor- rectional Complex in Mil- ton and the Collins Bay Fed- eral Institution in Kingston. “The reason for conduct: searches within thi i correctional facilities was to gather further evidence § 3 against three accused who ficking of illegs arms § le behind cepa alleged 2 Ly A 26: -year-old Oakville 5 man faces 105 criminal * (more than any of 3s the other 22 accused) relat- 8 ed to the possession and ° transfer of firearms. A 62-year-old Burlington nan faces five drug traffick- ing-related charge: ie OPP sad "Project Moffatt was carried out with helpfrom York ‘Region: al Police, Peel Regic lice, the "Barrie Bones Ser- vice and the Ottawa Police Servic The “Project Moffatt in- vestigation is ongoing and anyone with information about the trafficking of illic- it drugs is urged to call the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers anony- mously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or through the web at ontariocrimestoppers.ca. *TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY 7100 IN REBATES* {Carrier Turn to the experts HEATING & COOLING www.aireonewest.ca Peter Watson. MBA, CFP, CIM, RFP, FCSI MBA, CFP, CIM Watson Investments m info@watsoninvestments.com BOOK A MEETING Watson Investments can help you. to learn more about how (905) 842-2100 woo-uoyeyepIsu!