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.

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.

 “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