Eleven people are facing charges after a southern Ontario drug trafficking investigation linked an organized crime ring to thefts of baby formula and vitamins that were allegedly used in trade for cocaine and other narcotics.
Peel Regional Police say the four-month investigation in Mississauga, Ont., uncovered an organized crime group that was involved in both drug trafficking and targeting commercial retail businesses in the city’s Meadowvale area.
The investigation, dubbed Project Bengal, found that high-demand baby products, such as baby formula and vitamins, were being stolen from local retailers. These, in turn, were traded for cocaine and “a variety of other illicit narcotics,” police said in a press release.
“Through the use of surveillance and investigative techniques, including security footage provided by community partners like Rexall, officers were able to identify key suspects and connect a series of related incidents,” police said. “As a result, two primary properties were identified; one used for storing stolen products and the other as a location where drugs were being consumed.”
This intelligence prompted the execution of simultaneous search warrants at each location. Officers seized more than half a kilogram of cocaine and a number of other illegal drugs, along with a large stash of stolen items, and more than $34,000 that police described as the “proceeds of crime.” Approximately $30,000 worth of stolen merchandise was recovered and returned to businesses that had been targeted.
Eleven people were taken into custody after the execution of 15 arrest warrants and now face a total of 33 charges, police said.
Five men from Mississauga were charged with a variety of theft and drug-related offences. They are: 63-year-old Charlton Jones, 53-year-old Robert Dobre, 50-year-old Corey John, 42-year-old Brandon Dawe, and 39-year-old David Killeen.
Four women from the city were also charged: 49-year-old Misty Allison, 44-year-old Jennifer Ward, 36-year-old Christina Rodgers, and 25-year-old Brooke Noftall. Also facing charges are two 30-year-old women of no fixed address.
Peel Regional Police Deputy Chief Marc Andrews said the arrests were made possible because of assistance received from community members.
“Complaints from the community, combined with increased police presence by our 11 Division Community Incident Response Team (CIRT), enabled the dismantling of an organized crime group targeting commercial retail businesses and trafficking drugs,” he said in a statement.
“This investigation demonstrates the power of collaboration, and the vital role community trust plays in keeping our neighbourhoods safe.”
