MOOSE FACTORY - Over $50,000 of illicit drugs have been taken off the streets of a remote Northern Ontario community.
Over the weekend — Saturday, Sept. 28 and Sunday, Sept. 29 — Nishnawbe Aski Police Service (NAPS) executed search warrants at two residences in Moose Factory First Nation as part of an ongoing drug trafficking investigation.
In the first search, police seized suspected fentanyl, crystal methamphetamine, oxycontin, cash and paraphernalia consistent with drug trafficking.
The second search had police seize suspected fentanyl, cocaine, Lorazepam pills, morphine capsules, codeine, two guns, prohibited non-firearm weapons, and paraphernalia consistent with drug trafficking.
Two suspects were arrested during each seizure, with a total of four people facing charges.
An 18-year-old woman from Moose Factory First Nation and a 24-year-old man from Cochrane are each charged with:
- Possession of fentanyl for the purpose of trafficking
- Possession of cocaine for the purpose of Trafficking
- Possession of codeine for the purpose of trafficking
- Possession of Lorazepam for the purpose of trafficking
- Possession of morphine for the purpose of trafficking
- Possession of buprenorphine for the purpose of trafficking
- Careless storage of a firearm
- 3 counts of unauthorized possession of a weapon
A 32-year-old woman from Moosonee and a 40-year-old man from Moose Factory First Nation are each charged with:
- Possession of fentanyl for the purpose of trafficking
- Possession of methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking
- Possession of oxycodone for the purpose of trafficking
- Possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000
All of the accused have been released from custody with conditions and will appear in court at a future date.
NAPS says that the names of the accused are being withheld under the charges are formally sworn in in court.
None of the charges have been tested in court and the accused are considered innocent unless proven guilty.
