Major drug seizure nets $4.5M of cocaine, Ottawa police say

UPDATE: Ottawa police say they have arrested three more individuals in relation to this investigation.

 Ottawa's police chief says the recent seizure of 44 kilograms of cocaine, including crack cocaine, is one of the largest drug seizures in the force's history.

Two men in their 30s, one from Toronto and one from Ottawa, were arrested on Dec. 5 and face multiple charges, Chief Eric Stubbs said in a news release issued on Dec. 6. 

On Dec. 14, Ottawa police issued another news release in which they said two more men and one woman had been arrested in relation to this "significant cocaine distribution investigation."

Police said the arrests were made after executing search warrants in Ottawa, Gatineau and Toronto, and the arrested individuals have been charged with offences including participation in a criminal organization and conspiracy to traffic cocaine. 

The 10-month investigation that led to these arrests, began in February and was conducted with the help of Toronto police, RCMP and border agents. It netted 40 kilograms of cocaine, four kilograms of crack cocaine and $100,000 cash, Stubbs said.

"This is a significant seizure that disrupts a criminal network and supply chain that feeds addiction, violence and the criminal activity we often see associated with the drug trade," he said, estimating the street value of the seized drugs at around $4.5 million.

Police say the majority of the drugs were most likely destined for Ottawa's streets but some of it could have travelled, likely north to Thunder Bay.

Both suspects are charged with conspiracy to traffic, possession for the purposes of trafficking (each suspect is charged separately for cocaine and crack) and possession of proceeds of crime over $5,000. 

The suspect from Toronto is also charged with failure to stop for police and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.

The men were due to appear in court on Wednesday.

Police said they're anticipating more charges and arrests to result from the investigation, dubbed "Project Topshelf."  

"Generally in organized crime there are the leaders of that organization, and there's not very many of them," Stubbs said. 

"The quantity of people that are arrested isn't necessarily ... this success. It is, who are you arresting? Are you arresting the top of the chain, the middle of the chain or the bottom of the chain? And that is something that we're still investigating."

Ottawa police were recently involved in another cocaine seizure involving shipments from Colombia to an organized crime group here, according to the RCMP.

Deputy chief Trish Ferguson said the timing indicates drugs are a serious problem on Ottawa's streets. 

"Our officers are dealing with them from the front line right through to our investigative sections, a significant amount of drugs," she said. 

"In terms of whether we're seeing a vast increase, it's hard to say at this point in time, but it's obviously something that we're dealing with right now."