It took 14 months of determined police work, but a cocaine trafficking ring operating out of Sudbury has been broken.
On Wednesday, members of the Sudbury RCMP detachment, in partnership with the OPP Drug Enforcement Section, Greater Sudbury Police, Biker
Enforcement Unit from Quebec provincial police in Sherbrooke and Sherbrooke RCMP executed numerous search warrants.
Nine people were arrested in connection with drug trafficking, conspiracy, organized crime and proceeds of crime charges.
?Cocaine is quite readily available in Greater Sudbury, but we?ve taken more than two kilograms off the street, which is a substantial amount,? said Sudbury RCMP detachment Staff Sgt. Claude Faucher.
The 14-month investigation targeted cocaine traffickers in and around Greater Sudbury. During the course of the investigation, more than two kilograms (4.5 pounds) of cocaine with a street value of $200,000 was seized.
Also seized were 1,700 Ecstasy pills with a street value of $68,000, marijuana with a street value of $15,000, and over $18,000 in cash.
Also recovered was numerous Hell?s Angels paraphenalia. Two Hell?s Angels full patch vests and a press allegedly utilized to press cocaine into bricks were also seized.
The arrests relate to activities dating from November 2003 to December 2004 in Sudbury as well as British Columbia, southern and Northern Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick.
Search warrants were executed in Toronto, Barrie, Sudbury and Sherbrooke. A total of 14 people were arrested and two others who are currently incarcerated on unrelated matters are to be transported to Sudbury to answer to charges,
Three people believed to be directly involved with the Sherbrooke chapter of the Hell?s Angels were arrested as a result of this investigation, but none of the Sudbury people arrested are known to belong to the biker organization, said Faucher.
