A local drug project called Lurid has resulted in a number of drug-related charges.
In November of 2012, members of the RCMP Federal Investigations Unit in P.E.I. initiated a project aimed at uncovering illegal drug activities of individuals from Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Quebec.
As the investigation continued, a network of people selling marijuana and methamphetamine in the Charlottetown area was uncovered.
One person, Ryan Rosco, 22, of Charlottetown, is facing a number of charges.
They include the following: possession of methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking; possession of proceeds of property; six counts of trafficking in marijuana; possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking; conspiracy to commit an indictable offence of trafficking marijuana; conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine.
A number of others have also been charged, including the following:
Alicia Young, 22, of Charlottetown: possession of methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking; possession of proceeds of property; possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking.
Joel London, 24, of Montague: possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking.
Louis Sheitoyan, 30, of Montreal: conspiracy to commit an indictable offence of trafficking marijuana.
Jacques Bernatchez-Elliott, 29, of Montreal: conspiracy to commit an indictable offence of trafficking marijuana.
Malek Sahouli, 22, of Fredericton, N.B.: conspiracy to commit an indictable offence of trafficking marijuana.
James Savard, 31, of Charlottetown: conspiracy to commit an indictable offence of trafficking marijuana.
Jordyn Hooley, 20, of Souris: conspiracy to commit an indictable offence of trafficking marijuana; conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine.
Mike Dewolfe, 36, of Cornwall: conspiracy to commit an indictable offence of trafficking marijuana; conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine
Those charged will be in P.E.I. provincial court on July 21 to enter their respective pleas.
A number of items were seized during various searches in Charlottetown and Montreal throughout the investigation, including over $70,000 cash, close to 50 lbs. of marijuana, seven grams of ketamine, over 2,000 methamphetamine pills, hydromorphone pills, scales, money counter, ammunition, vacuum sealer and bags and other paraphernalia include packaging materials, score sheets, cutting agents and marijuana grinders.
RCMP say that while evaluating the estimated street value of drugs is difficult to determine, as the market prices can vary widely, the drugs seized in this project would easily be over the $350,000 mark. That figure does not include the cash seized in the project.
More individuals may be charged at a later date.
The project had a number of agencies involved in the project and continue to work with them as the project continues. Assisting police agencies were Charlottetown Police Service, Rothesay Regional Police Service, Saint John Police Force, Fredericton Police Force, Service de police de la Ville de Montreal - Montreal Police Service, along with RCMP from Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island.
