Guilty Verdict After Months-Long Investigation and Surveillance by Toronto Police
TORONTO – NEWS – In a ruling issued by Justice M. Sharma of the Ontario Superior Court, Brandon Caleb has been found guilty of multiple criminal offences, including trafficking in cocaine and possession of a loaded firearm while prohibited. The charges stemmed from “Project Venom,” a Toronto Police Services investigation into organized drug trafficking operations throughout Ontario in 2022.
Caleb faced three major counts: trafficking in a controlled substance, possession of a loaded firearm without authorization, and possession of a firearm while under a prior prohibition order.
The investigation against Caleb relied heavily on intercepted communications, cellphone tracking, and physical evidence seized during a police search in May 2022. Caleb’s activities were monitored between March and June 2022, culminating in his arrest at a Brampton residence where a loaded semi-automatic Beretta handgun was discovered concealed within men’s clothing.
Toronto Police had received judicial authorization to intercept Caleb’s private communications and track his cellphone locations as part of Project Venom. The intercepted calls revealed a pattern of drug-related conversations using coded language, verified by an expert in drug trafficking terminology.
Trafficking Cocaine and Possessing Loaded Firearm Among Convictions
The court found that Caleb trafficked cocaine by transporting and distributing the drug to contacts in Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area. Plans were also discussed to expand operations to Sudbury, a pattern that police experts say is common as traffickers seek higher profit margins in Northern Ontario cities like Thunder Bay and Sudbury.
Physical evidence found at the Brampton residence included digital scales and drug paraphernalia, further linking Caleb to drug trafficking activities. While no drugs were directly found during the search, the court emphasized that trafficking convictions can rest on circumstantial evidence under Canadian law.
On the firearms charges, Justice Sharma ruled that Caleb had constructive possession of the loaded handgun found in his clothing, rejecting defence arguments that the gun could have belonged to someone else living in the residence.
Judge Rejects Defence Arguments Citing Overwhelming Circumstantial Evidence
Justice Sharma stressed that while the Crown’s case was circumstantial, the evidence pointed strongly to Caleb’s guilt. Noting Caleb’s control over the premises, possession of men’s clothing where the gun was found, and his extensive involvement in drug trafficking activities, the court found no reasonable alternative explanation.
The case highlights the risks traffickers often take in arming themselves for protection, a point underscored by expert testimony during trial.
Links to Northern Ontario Raised During Trial Testimony
Notably, during intercepted calls, Caleb discussed intentions to traffic drugs in Sudbury, a key distribution hub for substances moving into Northern Ontario. Investigators noted that traffickers often move operations north to cities like Sudbury and Thunder Bay to exploit higher street prices and lower supply competition.
The case’s relevance to Northwestern Ontario underscores ongoing concerns among law enforcement agencies about the spillover of organized crime into the region.
A sentencing hearing for Caleb is expected later this year.
