Oakville, Milton residents among those nabbed in int’l gun & drug ring

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A number of charges have been laid against 13 people in Ontario after an investigation into the importation of illegal drugs and guns into Canada.

Today police unveiled details of their investigation and showed evidence seized during their year long probe, called Project Monto.

Police seized a total of 123 kilograms of cocaine with a potential street value of $12.2 million, 22 firearms, $146,000 in Canadian currency and four vehicles over the last year. The project began in 2014 and was conducted by the OPP’s organized crime enforcement bureau with Toronto, York and Peel police alongside Canada Border Services and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Investigators say they looked into illegal drugs imported from California, Trinidad and Tobago, St Lucia and Guyana; they also found prohibited weapons imported from Florida.

At a news conference this morning OPP chief superintendent Rick Barnum said after the drugs and guns arrived in the Toronto area, some were distributed to Newfoundland and Labrador. “We found multiple kilograms of imported cocaine were made available to local traffickers for further processing and distribution in the greater Toronto area and in Newfoundland and Labrador. Our partners also uncovered an illegal gun smuggling operation between Florida and Toronto intercepting at least 10 prohibited firearms which were all handguns.”

Those arrested allegedly tried to smuggle the cocaine in their suitcases on major airlines. Barnum told the media that most of the guns were seized at major airports but couldn’t elaborate any further as the investigation is ongoing and the evidence will be presented in court.

13 Ontarians are facing 48 charges from importation of cocaine, to conspiracy to import firearms:

• Donovan Brown, 44, from Oakville;
• David Blevins, 36, from Oakville;
• Dannia Cameron, 40, from Milton;
• Sandra Lewis, 48, from Milton;
• Rionne Martelly, 38, from Milton;
• 2 from Etobicoke;
• 1 from Mississauga;
• 2 from Scarborough;
• 1 from Toronto;
• 1 from Vaughan;

One other man is still at large: Dwidth Ferguson, 32, of Georgetown, Guyana.

Several of the people accused have already appeared in court in Brampton. Police are continuing their investigation.