Five people from Sudbury and a Blind River man are among several people charged in connection to a major drug bust involving outlaw motorcycle gangs.
OPP Superintendent Bryan MacKillop says police have laid 195 charges against 15 people including Hells Angels, Red Devils, and Hooligan motorcycle gang members.
He says they are accused of trafficking cocaine, meth, and fentanyl in the Niagara, Sudbury, and Ottawa areas.
Thousands of dollars, drugs, weapons, and vehicles were seized in the bust yesterday.
At a news conference yesterday, MacKillop and representatives from the project’s partner agencies unveiled details of the investigation and photos of the evidence seized during the 14-month investigation.
“The results of this investigation have significantly impacted the Hells Angels Nomads and Red Devils MC drug trafficking network. We want to send a clear message that law enforcement agencies are working together to hold outlaw motorcycle gangs accountable for trafficking and distributing these drugs that are taking the lives of people in our communities.
“This investigation will be ongoing, and anyone linked to these criminal enterprises could be subject to further investigation,” said MacKillop, who is also the Director of the Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau.
Project Skylark was conducted by the OPP Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau (OCEB), the Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS), Greater Sudbury Police Service (GSPS), Ottawa Police Service and Hamilton Police Service. Members of the OPP Emergency Response Team (ERT), OPP Tactics and Rescue Unit (TRU) and similar specialty units from numerous law enforcement partners assisted in the execution of search warrants last week at locations within the Niagara Region, Sudbury, Ottawa and the Town of Blind River.
During the course of the investigation, the investigative team combined to seize 12.5kg of cocaine, 12.2kg of cannabis, 640 grams of shatter, 1400 packages of cannabis edibles, fentanyl patches, 2000 methamphetamine tablets, as well as Hells Angels and Red Devils MC patches. Project Skylark investigators seized 11 firearms and 700 rounds of ammunition, $75,000 in Canadian currency, $30,000 in jewelry, multiple vehicles including three motorcycles and one residence.
The accused persons were held in custody upon arrest and are expected to appear at an Ontario Court of Justice in Sudbury at various times and dates. The investigation continues.
Motorcycle patches, bikes, meth and fentanyl patches were just part of the haul in a major drug bust yesterday. Photos provided by Project Skylark