Thunder Bay police investigations lead to seizure of more than $1M in illicit drugs

Kris Ketonen · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 26, 2025 5:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 10 minutes ago

More than $1 cardinal successful illicit drugs were seized by Thunder Bay constabulary implicit the people of 2 large investigations that began past year.

On Tuesday, constabulary announced the results of Project Incognito and Project Decoy. The 2 investigations also led to the apprehension of much than 40 people, and the seizure of firearms and vehicles, constabulary said.

The drugs seized included quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine, constabulary said.

"Project Decoy was a nine-week long, street-level cause investigation, which is primarily focused connected assemblage impacts, and section and non-local residents who proceed to prosecute successful the merchantability of illicit drugs," Thunder Bay constabulary Det. Sgt. Chris Carlucci said astatine a media lawsuit connected Tuesday. "Project Decoy identified and targeted these locations based connected assemblage concerns, arsenic good arsenic accusation brought guardant by citizens done reporting, our assemblage partnerships, and done Crime Stoppers."

Carlucci said Project Decoy resulted successful 38 arrests — 17 of the accused are from extracurricular of Thunder Bay — and a full of 215 charges.

Project Decoy besides saw constabulary prehend much than $750,000 successful drugs, astir $160,000 successful cash, 3 handguns, 1 shotgun, and 1 vehicle.

Project Incognito, meanwhile, was a five-week probe which Carlucci said was a "spinoff" of Project Decoy, that "resulted successful 7 radical being arrested, 4 section residents, and 3 non-local residents."

Project Incognito led to the seizure of much than $350,000 successful drugs, 3 firearms (two of which were handguns), and 2 vehicles, Carlucci said.

"I deliberation it decidedly highlights the request of illicit drugs," helium said. "Both these investigations span implicit nine weeks, truthful if you look, we're seeing implicit a cardinal dollars worth of drugs successful a precise abbreviated play of time, not to notation 7 firearms arsenic well, which I deliberation speaks to the level of unit that is contiguous successful this area."

All of the accused person appeared successful court, constabulary said.

Police acting Det. Insp. Robert Gombola said the 2 investigations were led by the Thunder Bay constabulary quality unit.

"The palmy completion of these investigations were made imaginable done the enactment of the Criminal Intelligence Service of Ontario, and backing done the Ontario authorities Ministry of the Solicitor General," helium said.