RCMP claim to have significantly disrupted a highly-organized group of people involved in inter-provincial drug trafficking and money laundering.
On February 11, the RCMP NL Federal Serious Organized Crime Unit—with assistance from the RCMP NL Emergency Response Team, Holyrood and Harbour Grace Detachments, the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, and the Ontario RCMP Federal Serious and Organized Crime Unit—executed search warrants at five residences. The seizures involved two homes in St. John’s, one in Torbay, one in Etobicoke, and one in Mississauga.
This was in a follow-up to four kilograms of cocaine in St. John’s and Etobicoke that was seized in January. The ongoing investigation has been dubbed Project Barnacle.
In addition to the four kilograms of cocaine and other items seized in January, Project Barnacle resulted in the seizures of the following in NL:
- five long guns including a modified semi-automatic rifle next to a bed
- about 10,000 rounds of ammunition
- 12 lbs of Ecstacy—one of the largest amounts ever seized in NL
- some $250,000 in cash
- nine vehicles—including a five-ton truck, cars, and pickups
- an undisclosed number of prescription pills
- a small amount of cocaine
- two credit card readers
- a money counter
- high-end jewelry, financial documents, and numerous electronic devices.
Two men and a woman have been arrested in this province while two men and a woman were arrested in Ontario. Items confiscated in that province include one vehicle and $10,000 in cash.
All suspects have been released pending further investigation.