North York and Thunder Bay Residents Charged in Drug Trafficking Investigation

THUNDER BAY — A North York resident and a Thunder Bay resident are facing drug trafficking-related charges following an Ontario Provincial Police-led investigation in the city.

Police say the investigation led to the seizure of suspected cocaine, suspected crack cocaine, suspected fentanyl, cash and trafficking-related items from a Cumberland Street South address.

The allegations have not been proven yet in court.

Search Warrant Executed on Cumberland Street South

The OPP-led Provincial Guns and Gangs Enforcement Team, known as PGNG, began an intelligence-led investigation in April 2026 into suspected drug trafficking activity in Thunder Bay.

The investigation included members of the Thunder Bay Police Service and was initiated after information was provided by the OPP Investigation and Enforcement Bureau.

On Wednesday, April 22, PGNG investigators, with assistance from the OPP Community Street Crime Unit, the Thunder Bay Police Service Emergency Task Unit and the Thunder Bay Police Service Community Oriented Response Unit, executed a search warrant on Cumberland Street South.

Police report seizing:
97 grams of suspected cocaine
12 grams of suspected crack cocaine
16 grams of suspected fentanyl
$2,000 in Canadian currency
One cellphone
A digital scale

Police estimate the street value of the seized drugs at $12,500.

Charges Laid

Chance Allick, 26, of North York, has been charged with:

Possession of proceeds of crime, contrary to section 354(1)(a) of the Criminal Code
Possession for the purpose of trafficking — cocaine, contrary to section 5(2) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act
Possession for the purpose of trafficking — fentanyl, contrary to section 5(2) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act

Allick was held for a bail hearing and is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Thunder Bay on Friday, May 1.

Holly Papassay, 54, of Thunder Bay, has been charged with:

Possession for the purpose of trafficking — cocaine, contrary to section 5(2) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act
Possession for the purpose of trafficking — fentanyl, contrary to section 5(2) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act

Papassay was released from custody following a bail hearing and is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Thunder Bay on Friday, June 5.

Legal Context: What the Charges Mean

Possession for the purpose of trafficking under section 5(2) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act applies when police allege a person possessed a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking, rather than simple possession.

Cocaine and fentanyl are treated as Schedule I substances under federal drug law. For Schedule I or II substances, a person convicted of trafficking or possession for the purpose of trafficking is guilty of an indictable offence and may face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

Actual sentences depend on the evidence, the offender’s circumstances, the quantity and type of substance, prior record, aggravating or mitigating factors, and the role the person is found to have played.

Possession of proceeds of crime under section 354(1)(a) of the Criminal Code applies where police allege a person possessed property or proceeds knowing that all or part of it was obtained or derived from the commission of an indictable offence. Under section 355 of the Criminal Code, where the value is not more than $5,000, the maximum penalty is up to two years in custody if the Crown proceeds by indictment, or punishment on summary conviction. Where the value is more than $5,000, the maximum penalty is up to 10 years if prosecuted by indictment.

No finding of guilt has been made. All accused persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

Regional Context: Drug Trafficking and Public Safety in Thunder Bay

Thunder Bay remains a regional hub for Northwestern Ontario, with transportation links, highways, air travel and service connections extending into remote and First Nations communities.

Police drug trafficking investigations in the city often carry broader regional significance because illicit drugs can move through Thunder Bay into smaller communities where health, policing, addictions treatment and emergency response resources may be limited.

The presence of fentanyl is especially concerning because of the risk of overdose, accidental exposure and community harm. For families, outreach workers, police, paramedics and health-care providers, fentanyl-related investigations are tied directly to the wider addictions and mental health crisis affecting Thunder Bay and the region.

Police Seeking Information

Anyone with information about illegal firearms, or the possession, manufacturing or trafficking of illicit drugs, is asked to contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122.

Anonymous tips can be submitted through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or online at ontariocrimestoppers.ca.

The PGNG in the North West Region includes members from the OPP, Thunder Bay Police Service and Nishnawbe Aski Police Service, with support from the RCMP.

About the Provincial Guns and Gangs Enforcement Team

The OPP-led Provincial Guns and Gangs Enforcement Team is focused on disrupting criminal street gang activity through intelligence-led, multijurisdictional investigations involving drug trafficking and illegal firearms.

The team includes members from police services in Ontario and Quebec, as well as the RCMP.