Thunder Bay man charged after police seize suspected opioids worth more than $107K
THUNDER BAY — A 72-year-old Thunder Bay man has been arrested and charged after police say they seized suspected fentanyl, oxycodone, morphine, hydromorphone, cash and drug-trafficking paraphernalia during a search on Court Street South.
The Nishnawbe Aski Police Service says the search was part of an ongoing investigation into drug trafficking operations allegedly originating in Thunder Bay and targeting Northern Ontario First Nation communities, including Aroland First Nation.
Police say search targeted trafficking route into First Nation communities
Members of the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service Intelligence Unit, assisted by the OPP’s Thunder Bay Community Street Crime Unit, executed a search warrant on Wednesday, June 17, at a residence in the 200-block of Court Street South in Thunder Bay.
Police say the warrant was obtained as part of an investigation into suspected drug trafficking from Thunder Bay into First Nation communities in Northern Ontario.
Inside the residence, officers reported seizing suspected hydromorphone pills, morphine, oxycodone pills, fentanyl, nearly $10,000 in cash and paraphernalia consistent with drug trafficking.
Police estimate the street value of the seized drugs at more than $107,000.
A male suspect was located inside the home and arrested without incident.
Charges laid
A 72-year-old Thunder Bay man has been charged with:
Possession of fentanyl for the purpose of trafficking;
Possession of morphine for the purpose of trafficking;
Possession of hydromorphone for the purpose of trafficking;
Possession of oxycodone for the purpose of trafficking; and
Possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000.
The accused has been released with conditions and is scheduled to appear in court at a future date.
Police say the accused person’s name is being withheld until the charges have been formally sworn before the courts.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Legal context: drug trafficking and property obtained by crime
The four drug-related charges fall under section 5(2) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, which makes it an offence to possess a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking. Fentanyl, morphine, hydromorphone and oxycodone are opioid substances regulated under Schedule I of the Act.
For Schedule I substances, the maximum penalty available to a court for possession for the purpose of trafficking is life imprisonment. Actual sentences vary widely and depend on the amount of drugs involved, the role of the accused, prior record, risk to the community, aggravating or mitigating factors and the evidence accepted by the court.
The property charge is under section 354(1) of the Criminal Code of Canada, which applies when a person is alleged to possess property or proceeds knowing that all or part of it was obtained through an indictable offence. If the value is more than $5,000, section 355 allows the matter to proceed as an indictable offence with a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, or as a summary conviction matter depending on Crown election.
Why this matters in Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario
Thunder Bay is a regional service, transportation and justice hub for Northwestern Ontario. Police investigations into drug trafficking often focus on the city because it can serve as a staging point for drugs moving into smaller and more remote communities.
For First Nation communities, the impact of illegal opioid trafficking can be severe. Many communities face limited access to addictions treatment, mental-health care, emergency medical services and policing resources.
A shipment that might be one file in a city can have outsized effects in a remote community where support services are stretched.
Presumption of innocence
None of the allegations have been proven in court.
All accused persons are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
