Ontario police charge 25 people with nearly 200 drug trafficking-related offences

An Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) patch is seen in Ottawa, on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby

Police say 25 people face almost 200 criminal charges after an investigation into drug trafficking in Sudbury, Ont., and surrounding areas.

Ontario Provincial Police say the investigation dubbed Project Saturate began in January 2024, and identified two street gangs in the Greater Toronto Area that allegedly trafficked drugs, including fentanyl and cocaine, to northeastern Ontario.

They say officers from the OPP and various GTA police forces executed search warrants on May 8 and May 29.

Investigators say they seized four illegal firearms and a large quantity of drugs, including 12 kilograms of cocaine and 7.3 kilograms of fentanyl.

They also seized $259,000 in Canadian cash and $1,210 in U.S. cash.

Police say 22 people were arrested and arrest warrants were issued for three others, with a total of 197 charges including many drug trafficking offences.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 17, 2025.

The Canadian Press