Ontario Provincial Police have announced the largest seizure of handguns and assault-style rifles in the province's history.
At a news conference at OPP headquarters in Orillia on Thursday, police said they worked with authorities in the United States, including U.S. Homeland Security, that resulted in the seizure of 274 illegal firearms, including 168 in the U.S. and 106 in Ontario.
Dubbed Project Saxom, authorities said the investigation began in early 2023 regarding two individuals who they say were seeking to traffic firearms in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
168 illegal firearms were intercepted before they could be smuggled into Ontario, said police.
A citizen with Canadian and U.S. citizenship was arrested and will be prosecuted in the United States.
"As the investigation progressed, additional suspects belonging to five distinct criminal networks were identified" officials stated in a news release.
In addition to trafficking firearms, authorities said they discovered that several of the accused were also trafficking illicit drugs.
On February 13 and 14, 2024, police executed search warrants at locations in the GTA and Niagara Region.
Seized items include:
· 88 illegal handguns including restricted and prohibited handguns and AK-47-style and AR-15-style prohibited pistols/handguns. This includes two restricted handguns (.40 calibre) that had been converted to fully automatic firearms.
· 18 long guns. This includes non-restricted, restricted, and prohibited rifles and one shotgun.
· 118 prohibited devices. This includes one silencer, one conducted energy weapon, 20 brass knuckles, 22 prohibited knives and 74 prohibited firearm magazines. One of the prohibited firearm magazines is a "drum magazine" (for a handgun that holds 50 rounds of .40cal ammunition), and other over-capacity magazines that have the ability to hold between 11 and 31 rounds of ammunition.
· Approximately 1,700 rounds of ammunition.
· Approximately 23 kilograms of methamphetamine.
· More than 1 kilogram of high-potency fentanyl, equivalent to 60,000 to 70,000 street-level doses.
· 688 suspected fentanyl pills.
· 1.3 kilograms of suspected cocaine.
· 197 grams of suspected heroin.
· 877 opioid pills.
· 280 grams of suspected psilocybin.
· 432 grams of an unknown substance and 20 unknown prescription pills.
· $63,332 in Canadian currency.
· $4,689 in US currency.
The potential street value of the illicit drugs and illegal firearms seized in Ontario is approximately $3.25 million.
This investigation resulted in 16 arrests in Ontario.
Most of the suspects are from the GTA and Niagara. One suspect from St. Catharines remains outstanding.
Police have laid 279 charges.
"Six of the accused are subject to lifetime firearms prohibition bans. One accused was on full parole. Another was on statutory release," investigators said.
Banner image supplied - OPP
