Ten people have been arrested and charged as part of what the RCMP are calling the province’s largest seizure of cocaine and tobacco.

The investigation, known as Project Bourbon, began in February of 2023 with a focus on organized crime groups trafficking in cocaine from British Columbia and contraband tobacco from Ontario.

In October 2024, the RCMP, with assistance from the RNC, searched six properties in St. John’s and one in Mount Pearl.

As a result, police seized a quantity of cocaine with a street value of $1.6-million, and 9.5 million contraband cigarettes with a street value of $2.6-million.

Quantities of methamphetamine, MDMA, illicit cannabis and hashish, firearms, cash, and eight vehicles were also seized.

The combined value of all items was estimated to be just shy of $5-million.

Now, charges have been filed against 10 people. Those are 41-year-old Stephen Pendergast, 51-year-old David Reddy, 33-year-old Brandon Quilty, 62-year-old Stewart Hillier, 62-year-old Robert Sullivan, 47-year-old Keith Kirkpatrick, 51-year-old Michael Reardon, 30-year-old Allan Dooley, 35-year-old Jeremy Hillier, and 26-year-old Jesse James Fair.

The full list of arrests and charges are as follows:

Stephen Pendergast, age 41 of St. John’s, is charged with:

• Assault with a weapon (Criminal Code) – 2 counts
• Assault causing bodily harm (Criminal Code) – 2 counts
• Flight from a police officer (Criminal Code)
• Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle (Criminal Code)
• Mischief over $5,000 (Criminal Code) – 4 counts
• Taking motor vehicle without consent (Criminal Code)
• Conspiracy to traffic cocaine (Criminal Code)
• Conspiracy to possess for the purpose of trafficking cocaine (Criminal Code)
• Possession of property obtained by crime (Criminal Code)
• Trafficking cocaine (Controlled Drugs and Substances Act)
• Trafficking MDMA (Controlled Drugs and Substances Act)
• Possession for the purpose of trafficking cocaine (Controlled Drugs and Substances Act)
• Possession for the purpose of trafficking MDMA (Controlled Drugs and Substances Act)
• Unlawful transportation or distribution of unstamped tobacco products (Criminal Code)
• Unlawful possession of unstamped tobacco products (Excise Act, 2001)
• Unlawful possession of contraband tobacco (Revenue Administration Act)

David Reddy, 51, of St. John’s, is charged with:

• Conspiracy to traffic cocaine (Criminal Code)
• Conspiracy to possess for the purpose of trafficking cocaine (Criminal Code)
• Possession for the purpose of trafficking cocaine (Controlled Drugs and Substances Act) – 2 counts
• Possession for the purpose of trafficking MDMA (Controlled Drugs and Substances Act) – 2 counts
• Possession for the purpose of trafficking LSD (Controlled Drugs and Substances Act)
• Trafficking cocaine (Controlled Drugs and Substances Act)
• Trafficking MDMA (Controlled Drugs and Substances Act)
• Possession of property obtained by crime (Criminal Code)
• Unlawful transportation or distribution of unstamped tobacco products (Criminal Code)
• Unlawful possession of unstamped tobacco products (Excise Act, 2001)
• Unlawful possession of contraband (Revenue Administration Act)

Thirty-three-year-old Brandon Quilty of St. John’s, is charged with:

• Conspiracy to traffic cocaine (Criminal Code)
• Conspiracy to possess for the purpose of trafficking cocaine (Criminal Code)
• Trafficking cocaine (Controlled Drugs and Substances Act)
• Possession for the purpose of trafficking cocaine (Controlled Drugs and Substances Act) – 2 counts
• Possession for the purpose of trafficking LSD (Controlled Drugs and Substances Act)
• Possession for the purpose of trafficking MDMA (Controlled Drugs and Substances Act)
• Possession for the purpose of trafficking psilocybin (mushrooms) (Controlled Drugs and Substances Act)
• Possession of Cannabis for the purpose of distributing it (Cannabis Act) – 5 counts
• Possession of Cannabis for the purpose of selling it (Cannabis Act) – 5 counts
• Possession of property obtained by crime (Criminal Code)

Stewart Hillier, 62, of Portugal Cove-St. Phillips, is charged with:

• Conspiracy to transport and distribute illicit tobacco (Criminal Code)
• Unlawful transportation or distribution of unstamped tobacco products (Criminal Code)
• Unlawful possession of unstamped tobacco products (Excise Act, 2001)
• Possession of contraband tobacco (Revenue Administration Act)
• Possession for the purpose of trafficking MDMA (Controlled Drugs and Substances Act)
• Possession of Cannabis for the purpose of distributing it (Cannabis Act)
• Possession of Cannabis for the purpose of selling it (Cannabis Act)

Sixty-two-year-old Robert Sullivan of Mount Pearl, is charged with:

• Conspiracy to transport and distribute illicit tobacco (Criminal Code)
• Unlawful transportation or distribution of unstamped tobacco products (Criminal Code) – 3 counts
• Unlawful possession of unstamped tobacco products (Excise Act, 2001) – 3 counts
• Possession of contraband tobacco (Revenue Administration Act) – 3 counts

Keith Kirkpatrick, age 47, of St. John’s, is charged with:

• Conspiracy to transport and distribute illicit tobacco (Criminal Code)
• Unlawful transportation or distribution of unstamped tobacco products (Criminal Code) – 3 counts
• Unlawful possession of unstamped tobacco products (Excise Act, 2001) – 3 counts
• Possession of contraband tobacco (Revenue Administration Act) – 3 counts
• Tampering with vehicle identification number (Criminal Code)

Michael Reardon, 51, of St. John’s, is charged with:

• Conspiracy to transport and distribute illicit tobacco (Criminal Code)
• Unlawful transportation or distribution of unstamped tobacco products (Criminal Code) – 2 counts
• Possession of contraband tobacco (Revenue Administration Act) – 2 counts
• Unlawful possession of unstamped tobacco products (Excise Act, 2001) – 2 counts

Thirty-year-old Allan Dooley of St. John’s, is charged with:

• Conspiracy to transport and distribute illicit tobacco (Criminal Code)
• Unlawful transportation or distribution of unstamped tobacco products (Criminal Code)
• Possession of contraband tobacco (Revenue Administration Act)
• Unlawful possession of unstamped tobacco products (Excise Act, 2001)

Jeremy Hillier, age 35, of Portugal Cove-St. Phillips, is charged with:

• Conspiracy to transport and distribute illicit tobacco (Criminal Code)
• Unlawful transportation or distribution of unstamped tobacco products (Criminal Code)
• Possession of contraband tobacco (Revenue Administration Act)
• Unlawful possession of unstamped tobacco products (Excise Act, 2001)

Jesse James Fair, age 26, of Hamilton, Ontario, is charged with:

• Conspiracy to transport and distribute illicit tobacco (Criminal Code)
• Unlawful transportation or distribution of unstamped tobacco products (Criminal Code)
• Possession of contraband tobacco (Revenue Administration Act)
• Unlawful possession of unstamped tobacco products (Excise Act, 2001)
• Possession of property obtained by crime (Criminal Code)
• Tampering with vehicle identification number (Criminal Code)

Pendergast, Reddy and Quilty appeared in court last week and will appear again on November 7. The others are scheduled for a court appearance on October 23rd.