Man arrested after police find $40,000 worth of fentanyl in car in St. Catharines

A 27-year-old man is facing charges after police discovered over $40,000 worth of fentanyl in his vehicle in St. Catharines.

The accused was identified and arrested after a lengthy investigation into illicit drug dealing in St. Catharines that stems from April 2023.

Twenty-seven-year-old Biniam H. Habtamu of Toronto was arrested on Wednesday in the area of Queenston Street and Welland Avenue in St. Catharines.

He is charged with the following offenses:

• Possess prohibited firearm without holding a licence
• Unauthorized possession of a firearm in a motor vehicle
• Possession of a prohibited firearm knowingly not holding a licence
• Careless storage of a firearm
• Possession of a prohibited firearm with ammunition
• Possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime under $5,000
• Possess schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking

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A search warrant for the suspect’s vehicle resulted in the seizure of a loaded handgun, one oxycodone pill, and 193.8 grams of fentanyl with a total street value of $42,636.

Habtamu was held in custody pending a video bail hearing in St. Catharines.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact police at 905-688-4111, option 3, extension 1009130.