Charlottetown police estimate they seized more than $400,000 in drugs in a bust this week that was the largest operation in the force’s history.
During a news conference at the department headquarters Friday afternoon, Chief Paul Smith said the operation led to the arrest of several prolific suppliers as well as what he described as underlings.
“We believe that we put a significant dent in the supply chain right now,” he said.
The four-month investigation, known as Operation Clean Sweep, led to 38 arrests and 16 searches Thursday with Charlottetown police expecting more than 100 charges to eventually be laid.
CLICK HERE FOR THE LIST OF PEOPLE ARRESTED UNDER OPERATION CLEAN SWEEP
More arrests are expected as the investigation continues.
The searches started at 3:30 a.m. Thursday and netted a variety of drugs, including cocaine, pharmaceutical opiates, methamphetamine and marijuana, as well as 11 vehicles.
Several weapons were also seized and on display to the media at the police headquarters Friday, including handguns, a rifle, a sword, a machete and a collapsible baton.
Police from Charlottetown led the investigation with help from police in Summerside and Kensington, along with the RCMP in P.E.I. and Moncton.
Smith said there are still warrants to be executed on four people, but with the investigation still ongoing, he expected more charges to come.
“We know the whereabouts of them,” the chief said.
Those who were arrested appeared before a justice of the peace Friday morning at the provincial courthouse in Charlottetown, where all but five were released until their court dates on either Feb. 26 or March 3. The remaining five will be back in court Monday for show cause hearings to determine if they should remain in custody until their cases are dealt with.
While most of the arrests were made in Charlottetown, Smith said the RCMP in Moncton picked up two people who were brought to P.E.I. Friday to appear before a justice of the peace with the rest of the accused.
Smith said the operation targeted major suppliers to the Charlottetown area and was the largest takedown in a single day for the city police, if not the entire province. It involved 70 officers at the briefing Thursday before the search and arrest warrants were executed, Smith said.
“When you look at the number of places that we had to secure and search and the individuals that were being arrested and what not it took a significant number of resources from our organization and additional resources from our policing partners.”
In an unusual move, the police notified the media about the operation once it was underway and arrests were still being made, which Smith said was done to let the community know what was happening and that there wasn’t anything to worry about.
“For the areas that we were looking to search, we had our search areas secured before it went out,” he said.
Smith said the people arrested weren’t necessarily part of a large criminal organization.
“We’re looking at people who are definitely affiliated,” he said.
Although the Charlottetown police worked with the RCMP emergency response team in one entry, Smith said there were no injuries or issues throughout the operation.
Coun. David MacDonald, who is chairman of the protective and emergency services committee, was also at the news conference and said the arrests send a message to people involved with illegal drugs in the community.
“It also sends a clear message to the community that our police are well aware of these activities that are happening in our city and they are continuing to address these activities to ensure that our city remains a great place to live and raise our families,” he said.
Charlottetown police estimate they seized more than $400,000 in drugs in a bust this week that was the largest operation in the force’s history.
During a news conference at the department headquarters Friday afternoon, Chief Paul Smith said the operation led to the arrest of several prolific suppliers as well as what he described as underlings.
“We believe that we put a significant dent in the supply chain right now,” he said.
The four-month investigation, known as Operation Clean Sweep, led to 38 arrests and 16 searches Thursday with Charlottetown police expecting more than 100 charges to eventually be laid.
CLICK HERE FOR THE LIST OF PEOPLE ARRESTED UNDER OPERATION CLEAN SWEEP
More arrests are expected as the investigation continues.
The searches started at 3:30 a.m. Thursday and netted a variety of drugs, including cocaine, pharmaceutical opiates, methamphetamine and marijuana, as well as 11 vehicles.
Several weapons were also seized and on display to the media at the police headquarters Friday, including handguns, a rifle, a sword, a machete and a collapsible baton.
Police from Charlottetown led the investigation with help from police in Summerside and Kensington, along with the RCMP in P.E.I. and Moncton.
Smith said there are still warrants to be executed on four people, but with the investigation still ongoing, he expected more charges to come.
“We know the whereabouts of them,” the chief said.
Those who were arrested appeared before a justice of the peace Friday morning at the provincial courthouse in Charlottetown, where all but five were released until their court dates on either Feb. 26 or March 3. The remaining five will be back in court Monday for show cause hearings to determine if they should remain in custody until their cases are dealt with.
While most of the arrests were made in Charlottetown, Smith said the RCMP in Moncton picked up two people who were brought to P.E.I. Friday to appear before a justice of the peace with the rest of the accused.
Smith said the operation targeted major suppliers to the Charlottetown area and was the largest takedown in a single day for the city police, if not the entire province. It involved 70 officers at the briefing Thursday before the search and arrest warrants were executed, Smith said.
“When you look at the number of places that we had to secure and search and the individuals that were being arrested and what not it took a significant number of resources from our organization and additional resources from our policing partners.”
In an unusual move, the police notified the media about the operation once it was underway and arrests were still being made, which Smith said was done to let the community know what was happening and that there wasn’t anything to worry about.
“For the areas that we were looking to search, we had our search areas secured before it went out,” he said.
Smith said the people arrested weren’t necessarily part of a large criminal organization.
“We’re looking at people who are definitely affiliated,” he said.
Although the Charlottetown police worked with the RCMP emergency response team in one entry, Smith said there were no injuries or issues throughout the operation.
Coun. David MacDonald, who is chairman of the protective and emergency services committee, was also at the news conference and said the arrests send a message to people involved with illegal drugs in the community.
“It also sends a clear message to the community that our police are well aware of these activities that are happening in our city and they are continuing to address these activities to ensure that our city remains a great place to live and raise our families,” he said.
The following is a list of people Charlottetown Police Services says are facing charges in connection with Operation Clean Sweep:
Jody Lynn Alexander-Johnson, 32, Charlottetown charged with one count of trafficking hydromorphone (Dilaudid).
Sebastien Ayangma, 23, Charlottetown, charged with four counts of trafficking cocaine.
John Robert Beaton, 64, Charlottetown charged with one count of trafficking cocaine.
John Michael Bowlan, 52, Charlottetown, charged with one count of trafficking Percocet, one count of possession of marijuana.
Kendall David Buell, 44, Hazelbrook, charged with three counts of trafficking cocaine.
Hartley Allen Coleman, 40, Charlottetown, charged with one count of trafficking Ritalin and one count of breach of probation.
Christopher Alan Cudmore, 35, Charlottetown, charged with one count of trafficking cocaine, one count of possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, one count of possession of marijuana.
Richard Wallace Cudmore, 42, charged with two counts of trafficking hydromorphone.
Jarred Scott Dingwell, 20, Charlottetown, charged with one count of trafficking cocaine and one count of breach of an undertaking.
Laurie Joseph Doucette, 58, Charlottetown, charged with four counts of trafficking cocaine, one count of possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.
Christa Dawn Ellis, 31, Charlottetown charged with one count of trafficking methamphetamine, one count of trafficking hydromorphone and one count of trafficking cocaine.
Lloyd Wilfred Ellis, 36, Charlottetown, charged with two counts of trafficking cocaine and two counts of trafficking hydromorphone, one count of possession of methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking and one count of possession of marijuana.
Jeffrey Grant Flynn, 34, Charlottetown, charged with two counts of trafficking hydromorphone, one count of possession of hydromorphone.
Steven Wallace Frizzell, 40, Donaldston, charged with two counts of trafficking cocaine, one count of possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking, one count of trafficking cannabis resin, one count of production of cannabis resin, one count of possession of a prohibited weapon.
Daniel Ivan Gallant, 38, Charlottetown, charged with two counts of trafficking cocaine and one count of trafficking hydromorphone.
Scott Frederick Gallant, 38, Mermaid, charged with one count of trafficking hydromorphone. Two counts of uttering threats and one count of possession of marijuana.
Sarah Ann Gay, 30, Hazelbrook, charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking methamphetamine.
Matthew Joseph Gennis, 25, Stratford, charged with two counts of trafficking hydromorphone (Dilaudid).
John Glynn Herbert Johnston, 34, Charlottetown, charged with two (2) counts of trafficking hydromorphone (Dilaudid)
Caitlyn Elizabeth Keenan, 23, Cornwall, charged with one count of trafficking hydromorphone and one count of breach of an undertaking.
Victoria Jonn Kenny, 39, Charlottetown, charged with one count of trafficking cocaine, one count of possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking and one count of possession of marijuana.
Jeremy Joseph Laybolt, 29, Charlottetown, charged with two counts of trafficking hydromorphone and two counts of breach of probation.
Allan Christopher Lee, 42, Moncton, charged with three counts of trafficking hydromorphone.
Venus Vanessa Levi, 41, Charlottetown, charged with two counts of trafficking hydromorphone, one count of possession of hydromorphone for the purpose of trafficking.
Kimberly Dianne Loughran-Buell, 40, Charlottetown, charged with two counts of trafficking cocaine.
Tanya Marie MacDonald, 37, Donaldston, charged with one count of possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking, one count of trafficking cannabis resin, one count of production of cannabis resin, one count of possession of a prohibited weapon.
Marie Elizabeth MacLean, 47, Charlottetown, charged with one count of trafficking hydromorphone.
Tanya Marie MacLean, 28, Charlottetown, charged with one count of trafficking hydromorphone, one count of possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.
Tracey Lynn MacLean, 33, Charlottetown, charged with one count of trafficking hydromorphone.
Aaron Matthews, 31, Moncton, charged with two counts of trafficking hydromorphone.
Jordan Douglas Milley, 24, Kingston, charged with three counts of trafficking cocaine, one count of possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, one count of possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking.
Krystal May Ripley, 21, Charlottetown, charged with one count of trafficking hydromorphone.
George William Roach, 57, Charlottetown, charged with one count of trafficking hydromorphone and one count of trafficking marijuana and two counts of breach of probation.
Darren Ernest Ross, 42, Montague, charged with two counts of trafficking hydromorphone.
John Michael Keighan Scott, 28, years of age of Charlottetown, charged with one count of trafficking cocaine.
Anthony Patrick Shea, 46, Charlottetown, charged with two counts of trafficking hydromorphone.
Shirley Ann Shea-Sentner, 47, Charlottetown, charged with two counts of trafficking hydromorphone.
Murray James Todd, 24, Charlottetown, charged with two counts of trafficking hydromorphone and two counts of breach of an undertaking.
Bethany Anne Trainor, 31, Charlottetown, charged with two counts of trafficking hydromorphone, one count of possession of hydromorphone for the purpose of trafficking.
Todd Dwayne Westcott, 28, Dieppe, charged with two counts of trafficking hydromorphone.
