An interprovincial drug trafficking network that funneled large quantities of illicit drugs and firearms from Toronto to Manitoba has been dismantled, Winnipeg police announced after multiple arrests in a months-long investigation.
Dubbed Project Lowkey, the operation began in April 2024 with collaboration from Manitoba RCMP, the Manitoba First Nations Police Service, and law enforcement agencies in Saskatoon, Vancouver, and Toronto.
On Jan. 31, police executed search warrants across Winnipeg, Sandy Bay First Nation, Thompson, Toronto, Brampton, Scarborough, and Saskatoon. The traffickers used rail services, commercial airplanes, trains, off-road vehicles, boats, and hidden compartments in vehicles to transport contraband, said Insp. Josh Ewatski of the Winnipeg Police Service’s organized crime unit.
Drugs were distributed across Manitoba, including Winnipeg, Portage la Prairie, Thompson, and Sandy Bay First Nation. The traffickers employed sophisticated methods to evade airport scanners and used fraudulent identification, including driver’s licenses and social insurance numbers, to travel and open bank accounts to finance operations.
The network targeted northern communities such as Norway House Cree Nation, Tataskweyak Cree Nation, Nelson House Cree Nation, and The Pas, using hotels and Airbnbs as bases. Drugs and firearms were transported to First Nations communities through collaborations with existing drug networks, preying on local vulnerabilities.
Manitoba First Nations Police Service Insp. Derek Beach stated that Sandy Bay First Nation likely served as a hub where drugs were divided and distributed. He emphasized the need for increased law enforcement presence and cooperation to combat drug trafficking in Indigenous communities.
Source: Swifteradio.com
