Five people have been arrested in connection with a month-long illegal drug trafficking investigation in the Niagara region. In a release on Wednesday, Niagara police said their Criminal Investigative Branch began an investigation in Feb. 2026, after a male suspect was seen travelling throughout the regions and “exhibiting behaviour consistent with the illegal trafficking of drugs.” On March 10, just before 3 p.m., detectives placed two people under arrest who were seen conducting “mobile drug transactions.” Further search warrants for three addresses and a vehicle resulted in the arrests of three more suspects. During the search warrants, police said officers seized 160 grams of suspected fentanyl with a street value of $35,200, 280 grams of suspected methamphetamine valued at $28,000, 137 grams of suspected cocaine with a street value of $13,700, 62 tablets of suspected oxycodone valued at $1,240, over $8,000 of Canadian currency, and one spring-loaded knife. Police arrested 27-year-old Belaluddin Shahabuddin, of Thorold; 27-year-old Janelle McLeod, of Thorold; 25-year-old Kye Cheshire, of Niagara Falls; 58-year-old Trevor Avery, of St. Catharines; and 54-year-old Terry Gray, of St. Catharines and charged them with various drug-related offences. None of the charges have been tested in court. Shahabuddin and Chesire remain in custody and are scheduled to attend a bail hearing, while the other three suspects were released on undertakings with future court dates.
