Thunder Bay police say Project Rave seized $300K in suspected drugs and resulted in 37 charges

August 7, 2026

A Thunder Bay Police Service Intelligence Unit drug trafficking investigation has led to dozens of charges and a significant suspected illicit drug seizure.

Project Rave: Six charged after Thunder Bay police seize suspected drugs valued at $300K

Thunder Bay – NEWS – Thunder Bay Police Service says a drug-trafficking investigation targeting the city’s north core has resulted in six arrests, 37 charges and the seizure of suspected cocaine, methamphetamine and prescription opioid tablets with an estimated street value of about $300,000.

The investigation, dubbed Project Rave, involved multiple police agencies and culminated in five search warrants executed across Thunder Bay on July 16, 2026.

For Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario, the investigation is significant because the city serves as a transportation and service hub for much of the region. Major enforcement actions targeting alleged trafficking networks in Thunder Bay can potentially disrupt drug supply chains extending beyond the city, although police have not alleged in this release that any of the accused supplied drugs to specific Northwestern Ontario or First Nations communities.

Five search warrants executed across Thunder Bay

Members of the Thunder Bay Police Service Intelligence Unit and Emergency Task Unit executed five search warrants with assistance from the Ontario Provincial Police Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau and Nishnawbe Aski Police Service.

Police say Project Rave focused on people suspected of distributing illegal drugs in Thunder Bay’s downtown north core and on disrupting associated criminal networks.

Investigators reported seizing:

2,761.59 grams of suspected cocaine;
1,167 suspected Percocet tablets;
383 grams of suspected crystal methamphetamine;
more than $5,000 in Canadian currency;
two vehicles;
brass knuckles and a switchblade;
five cellular devices; and
four digital scales.

The approximately $300,000 street-value estimate is a police estimate. The substances are described as suspected drugs and would generally require laboratory testing for confirmation.

Percocet is a prescription medication containing oxycodone and acetaminophen. Oxycodone, cocaine and methamphetamine are listed as Schedule I substances under Canada’s Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

Six people charged

Police identified the accused and charges as follows.

David Cairns, 41, of Thunder Bay, is charged with:

trafficking a Schedule I substance — cocaine, five counts;
possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime under $5,000, six counts;
possession of methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking;
possession of an opioid for the purpose of trafficking;
possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking; and
conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.

Trentin Holmquist, 22, of Thunder Bay, is charged with:

possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime under $5,000, four counts;
unauthorized possession of a prohibited or restricted firearm;
trafficking cocaine, three counts;
possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking; and
conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.

Erica Neverly, 40, of Thunder Bay, is charged with:

possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking;
possession of an opioid for the purpose of trafficking; and
possession of methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking.

Melanie Primeau, 29, of Thunder Bay, is charged with:

possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking;
possession of an opioid for the purpose of trafficking;
possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime under $5,000; and
conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.

Celina Sutherland, 39, of Thunder Bay, is charged with:

trafficking cocaine; and
possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime under $5,000.

Jesse Darosa, 35, of Thunder Bay, is charged with:

trafficking cocaine;
possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime under $5,000; and
conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.

Police said Cairns and Holmquist were remanded into custody following their first court appearances. The other four accused were released following their first appearances. Future court dates were not included in the information released by police.

What the drug-trafficking charges mean

Section 5(1) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act prohibits trafficking in controlled substances, while section 5(2) prohibits possessing controlled substances for the purpose of trafficking.

Where Schedule I substances are involved, a conviction under either provision is an indictable offence carrying a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

That maximum does not mean a life sentence is automatic or typical. Sentencing depends on factors including the amount and type of drug, the offender’s role, criminal record, degree of planning, commercial sophistication and any aggravating circumstances.

Ontario appellate decisions demonstrate the wide range available to sentencing courts. In one cocaine case involving importation and possession for trafficking of 132 grams, a 3½-year sentence was upheld and the Ontario Court of Appeal discussed a roughly three-to-five-year range used in comparable cocaine-importation cases. At the extreme end, leaders of a sophisticated organization responsible for importing and trafficking approximately two tonnes of cocaine received global sentences of 20 and 22 years. Those cases are illustrations only and do not determine what sentence, if any, would apply in Project Rave.

Proceeds-of-crime charges

Section 354(1) of the Criminal Code makes it an offence to possess property or proceeds while knowing that all or part of it was obtained or derived directly or indirectly from an indictable offence.

Where the value does not exceed $5,000, section 355 provides that the offence may be prosecuted by indictment, carrying a maximum sentence of two years in prison, or by summary conviction. For summary offences where no different punishment is specified, the Criminal Code generally allows a maximum of two years less a day in custody, a fine of up to $5,000, or both.

Depending on the circumstances and criminal record, sentences for proceeds-of-crime offences can range from fines or probation to imprisonment. Where proceeds charges accompany serious trafficking offences, the overall sentencing analysis can be driven largely by the more serious underlying criminal conduct.

Conspiracy to commit an indictable offence

Section 465(1)(c) of the Criminal Code addresses agreements between two or more people to commit an indictable offence.

The maximum punishment for conspiracy is generally the same punishment available for the indictable offence that was allegedly the object of the conspiracy.

The police release does not specify the underlying indictable offence alleged in each conspiracy count. If the alleged conspiracy concerned Schedule I drug trafficking, for example, the underlying trafficking offence carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The precise legal exposure would depend on the charge as filed with the court and ultimately proven.

Multi-agency investigation

Thunder Bay police credited assistance from several agencies, including the Ontario Provincial Police Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau, Nishnawbe Aski Police Service, Sault Ste. Marie Police Service, Sudbury Police Service and Winnipeg Police Service.

Police said the investigation was supported through Ontario Ministry of the Solicitor General funding and Criminal Intelligence Service Ontario.

The cross-jurisdictional involvement reflects the reality that organized drug investigations frequently extend beyond municipal boundaries. Thunder Bay sits on major east-west highway, rail and air transportation corridors and acts as a gateway to many smaller Northwestern Ontario communities.

At the same time, the participation of outside police agencies should not be interpreted as evidence that every accused person was involved in criminal activity outside Thunder Bay. Police have not provided those details.

Investigation remains ongoing

Thunder Bay Police Service says Project Rave remains under investigation.

Further charges or court developments are possible, but none should be assumed unless confirmed by police or court records.

All six accused are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges are allegations and have not been tested in court.