Toronto police make 'significant dent' in trafficking ring, seize $700K in drugs

Guns, drugs, cash seized in 'Project Moses' One man is in custody and police say they are looking for two others.

One man has been arrested and two others are wanted following a Toronto police investigation that marked a “significant dent” in a local organized crime group, with more than $700,000 worth of street drugs seized.

The investigation, dubbed “Project Moses,” began in October of 2018 and focused on a drug trafficking ring operating throughout the GTA.

On Feb. 14 and Feb. 15, police descended on numerous addresses in Toronto and one in Ottawa and executed search warrants.

The searches allegedly yielded 2.5 kilograms of cocaine, one kilogram of fentanyl, half a kilogram of heroin, and two kilograms of marijuana.

Police said six handguns, an assault rifle, more than 1,000 rounds of "heavy caliber ammunition," and $60,000 in cash were also seized.

Insp. Steve Watts said the drugs and weapons were discovered in “trap” compartments in vehicles and custom-built pieces of furniture made to conceal illicit contraband.

“It can be an end table, a coffee table… Usually they’re operated by a series of magnets or operated by a series of lids. It’s essentially a false lid and a false bottom,” he said.

“We’ve been seeing it in vehicles for a long time, but now we’re seeing multiple traps, which is fairly new… You’re seeing double and triple traps in the same vehicle.”

The drugs had a combined wholesale value of $700,000, according to police.

“I would say this is a significant crime group,” Watts said. “If you’re a kilo-level trafficker, you are entrusted with a certain amount of weight, with a certain amount of product. Of specific amount of concern to me, is the amount of firearms in front of me.”

The transportation of weapons in vehicles, in easily accessible trap compartments, could easily “turn into a shooting or a homicide,” Watts said.

The origin of the handguns is not yet known but investigators are working on tracing them. Watts said none of the three suspects were legal, licenced gun owners.

One man was arrested during last week’s search warrants. Watts said the suspect, identified as 42-year-old Nicholas Ortega, is from Ottawa and a residence is listed in his name there, spurring the collaboration from the Ottawa Police Service. He has been charged with multiple firearm and drug-related offences and is due in a Toronto courtroom on Feb. 20.

Two others wanted in connection with the case remain outstanding. Canada-wide warrants are expected to be issued for their arrests. Police identified them as 34-year-old Vincent Huang and 33-year-old Daniel Siu. Both are Toronto residents, police said.

In total, the three suspects are facing 27 firearms-related offences.

“I would say it’s put a significant dent,” Watts said.

“To lose this much product and to lose this many firearms is very significant.”