Police uncover more than $9M in drugs, one of the largest seizures in the region
It was one of the largest drug seizures in Waterloo Regional Police history.
After a 13-month drug trafficking investigation that led to two arrests, police said in a media conference on Tuesday more than $9 million worth of drugs and more than $800,000 in currency was seized during search warrants at two Kitchener residences on April 26.
The search warrants, at residences in the area of Sims Estate Drive and Fairway Road North, and Homer Watson Boulevard and Old Carriage Drive, as well as a search warrant for a 2023 Audi, turned up multiple kilograms of suspected cocaine suspected crystal methamphetamine and Canadian currency, police said.
“The amount of drugs and firearms seized during this investigation is not only concerning to us but to the entire Waterloo Region community,” said Insp. Greg Hibbard, who heads up police’s criminal intelligence unit.
“These drugs were destined to be sold in our community and beyond. We are focused on interrupting the flow of illicit drugs and arrested those who profit off our most vulnerable members of this community who are suffering from addiction.”
The investigation was kicked off after officers responded to a breakand-enter at a Kitchener residence, in the area of Fergus Avenue and Weber Street East, in March 2023, where several kilograms of cocaine were found. Police then issued two search warrants at Kitchener residences — at the address they had responded to for the break-and-enter and another in the area of Victoria Street South and Park Street — and seized cocaine, MDMA, crystal methamphetamine, just less than $100,000 in Canadian currency, and firearms.
Over the course of the investigation, police seized more than 86 kilograms of suspected cocaine, more than three kilograms of suspected crystal methamphetamine, approximately 700 grams of MDMA, approximately $815,000 in Canadian currency and seven handguns.
A 31-year-old man and a 22-yearold woman, both from Kitchener, were arrested on April 26 and have been jointly charged with two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking and possession of proceeds of crime. The man is also facing three additional counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking.
Police said the investigation is ongoing and additional arrests are anticipated.
“While this investigation has resulted in a significant amount of illegal drugs being taken out of our community, there’s more work to be done,” Hibbard said.
He added that in 2023, 695 firearms and weapons, and more than $2.72 million in drugs, were seized in the region. Being on the Highway 401 pipeline, Hibbard said, brings a Toronto influence when it comes to organized crime, drugs and weapons investigations.