$970K worth of drugs seized in Winnipeg, Ontario in Project Pink Panther

More than $900,000 worth of drugs were seized following an interprovincial police investigation that began in Winnipeg, police in that city said.

The probe into cocaine, methamphetamine, ketamine and prescription opioid trafficking by organized crime groups in Manitoba began last December, Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) Insp. Josh Ewatski said at a news conference Tuesday.

The work expanded as investigators found the drugs were being sourced from Ontario, B.C. and Alberta.

“What they uncovered was a sophisticated distribution network that exploited legitimate transportation and commercial services to move illicit drugs across provincial boundaries,” Ewatski said.

He added that the drugs were brought to Winnipeg via passenger vehicles, courier services, mail shipments and commercial flights.

“Once in Winnipeg, the drugs were delivered to designated properties, where they were stored, retrieved and distributed through various levels of the illicit drug trade,” the inspector continued.

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As a result of this investigation, dubbed Project Pink Panther, police executed search warrants in August in partnership with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

Searches by both police forces in Winnipeg, Toronto, Brampton and Alliston, Ont. resulted in the seizure of approximately 29 kilograms of meth. That amount has an estimated street value of $174,000, Winnipeg police said.

Police also seized 12 kilograms of cocaine, which would be worth $360,000 on the streets, as well as three kilograms of ketamine with an estimated worth of $101,000.

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The 25,000 prescription opioids and controlled substance pills were said to be worth $312,000.

Officers also seized two kilograms of MDMA, 1,800 LSD tablets, 31 grams of heroin and around 207 cannabis edible packages. Combined, those confiscated goods have an estimated street value of $19,000, police said.

In addition to the intoxicants, officers seized two .22 calibre rifles, three 12-gauge shotguns, one SKS-style rifle and over 800 rounds of ammunition. A conducted energy weapon and four vehicles — a Mercedes Benz crossover SUV, Chevrolet Silverado, Chevrolet Cruze and Cadillac CTS — were also taken.

Around $126,000 in cash was also taken by police, the service added.

“Nearly $1,000,000 worth of illicit drugs will never reach our communities, $126,000 in suspected criminal proceeds and other assets cannot be used for further criminal activities. And firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition have been taken off the streets, reducing the potential for further violence,” Ewatski said.

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Six people in Winnipeg and three in Ontario are facing drug or weapon-related charges. Two of the Winnipeggers were detained, with the rest released on court orders. All three people arrested in Ontario remain in custody.

Ewatski alleged the nine people are part of the same unnamed criminal network.

“The results represent a significant disruption to organized crime networks responsible for moving dangerous drugs into Manitoba, but the significance of this investigation extends well beyond the number of arrests or quantity of drugs seized,” the Winnipeg police inspector said.

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“It’s about preventing harm. It’s about protecting our communities. And it’s about taking away the resources that organized crime uses to operate and expand.”

OPP Detective Supt. Andy Bradford said the seizures, and associated arrests, helped disrupt violence in Ontario and Manitoba, and added that joint efforts like this one will be necessary as organized crime continues evolving.

“No single police service can address these challenges alone,” Bradford told reporters.

“Information sharing, coordination and collective action remain among our most effective tools in identifying and disrupting criminal activity. Project Pink Panther demonstrates the importance of collaboration and highlights the value of partnerships that extend beyond traditional jurisdictional boundaries.”

In addition to the WPS and OPP, Project Pink Panther involved work by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), Peel Regional Police, and the RCMP.

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