Dryden OPP say Highway 105 stop was part of ongoing drug trafficking investigation

MACHIN, ON — A 54-year-old Alberta resident is facing drug trafficking-related charges after Ontario Provincial Police conducted a traffic stop on Highway 105 in the Municipality of Machin.

Dryden OPP say officers stopped a vehicle Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, shortly after 1 p.m. CST, as part of an investigation led by the Dryden OPP Community Street Crime Unit (CSCU). Police report that a search following the stop resulted in the seizure of suspected cocaine and oxycodone, along with additional evidence of drug trafficking.

Charges laid

Police have charged Steven Shepherd, 54, of Lethbridge, Alberta with two counts under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act:

• Possession of a Schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking — cocaine

• Possession of a Schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking — oxycodone

Both cocaine and oxycodone are listed as Schedule I substances under federal law.

The accused was remanded into custody and is scheduled to appear in the Ontario Court of Justice in Dryden on Feb. 11, 2026.

Criminal Code charges and potential penalties

OPP did not announce any Criminal Code charges in this case. The allegations released to date are under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

However, the potential penalties are significant. Under Section 5(3)(a) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, a conviction for possession for the purpose of trafficking involving a Schedule I substance is an indictable offence, with a maximum penalty of imprisonment for life.

Mandatory minimum penalties that previously applied to some trafficking-related offences under the CDSA have been removed through federal legislative changes, meaning sentencing is left to the court based on the circumstances of the offence and the offender.

Because CDSA trafficking offences can qualify as “designated offences,” the Crown may also seek ancillary orders at sentencing in appropriate cases, including a DNA order under Criminal Code provisions.

Police seeking information

Anyone with information about crime in the community is asked to contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122. To report non-emergency incidents online, visit the OPP reporting portal. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or online through Ontario Crime Stoppers. Police note tips leading to an arrest may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $2,000.

Editor’s note: Charges have not been proven in court.