34 Arrested in Southern Ontario Probe of Drugs and Guns Linked to ‘44’ Gang

A Durham Regional Police officer's logo emblem is shown in Bowmanville, Ont. on Feb. 28, 2023. The Canadian Press/Doug Ives

Thirty-four suspects are facing nearly 140 charges following an investigation into a gang suspected of trafficking firearms and drugs throughout the Greater Toronto Area, with operations reaching as far as Manitoba.

Durham Regional Police held a press conference on Dec. 12 to announce the results of Project Hydrogen, an investigation into criminal activity linked to a gang known as ‘44.’  Members of the group reside in Durham Region and other parts of the GTA, Sgt. Brad Corner said. Durham is just east of Toronto and includes the cities of Oshawa, Whitby, and Ajax.

“Their criminal activity stretched well beyond Durham Region, reaching as far as Northern Ontario and Winnipeg,” Corner said. “Members of this gang had flaunted their illicit earnings on social media, glorifying a culture that celebrates financial success through criminal activities.”

The investigation was launched in April and 61 search warrants were executed in parts of Ontario and Winnipeg over a period of several months, he said. Officers seized 10 illegal firearms which originated from Detroit, $200,000 in Canadian currency, and $2.7 million in drugs during those searches, which stretched as far north in Ontario as Lindsay.

The confiscated drugs included 18 kilograms of cocaine, six kilograms of methamphetamine, two kilograms of fentanyl, one kilogram of MDMA, and 3,000 hydromorphone pills.

Police laid 139 charges including multiple counts of drug trafficking and illegal possession of weapons.

Fourteen of the suspects arrested over the course of the operation were out on bail at the time of their arrests, Corner said, adding they were mostly in their 20s and 30s.

Bail System Woes

Durham Regional Police Chief Peter Moreira told reporters the tendency of convicted criminals to reoffend is an ongoing issue in the justice system.

“Nearly half of the 34 individuals arrested were already bound by a release order from the courts, but were still actively engaged in criminal activity,” he said. “This is not a small number. It is a clear sign that the current system is not working as intended.”

The current bail system compromises community safety and inflicts heavy strain on frontline police officers, all while repeat offenders “thumb” their nose at the justice system, Moreira said.

The chief said he is hopeful the new bail measures announced by the Liberal government will make a difference.

The government of Prime Minister Mark Carney introduced the Bail and Sentencing Reform Act, Bill C-14, on Oct. 23. It passed second reading in the House of Commons last month.

Justice Minister Sean Fraser has said the legislation will help curb car thefts, home invasions, and organized crime through 80 amendments to the Criminal Code of Canada. These changes include more stringent conditions for obtaining bail for car thieves, sexual assault offenders, and human traffickers. The bill also suggests lengthier sentences for violent and habitual offenders.