3 Manitobans arrested as part of nationwide drug trafficking busts

Winnipeg police say nine people — three from Manitoba — have been arrested as part of a Canada-wide drug trafficking investigation.

The investigation, known as Project Lowkey, kicked off in April of last year as a probe into what police say is a high-level drug trafficking  group in Winnipeg as well as central and northern Manitoba, with connections to Saskatchewan, Ontario, Newfoundland, and Yukon as well.

Police announced the results of Project Lowkey Wednesday, and said their investigation centred around a number of people — believed to be involved in organized crime in the Toronto area — allegedly transporting drugs into Winnipeg, Portage la Prairie, Thompson, and some Manitoba First Nations including Sandy Bay First Nation.

The drugs are alleged to have been transported across provincial boundaries by vehicle, chartered bus, shipped parcels, and commercial airlines.

With the help of Manitoba First Nations Police Service (MFNPS), Manitoba RCMP, Ontario Provincial Police, and the Saskatoon Police Service, Winnipeg’s organized crime unit searched locations across the country — including four in Winnipeg, two in Thompson, and one in Sandy Bay First Nation.

The searches led to the seizure of $250,000 in cocaine, $35,000 in meth, $500,000 in hydromorphone pills, packaging material and other paraphernalia, plus $280,000 in cash and three vehicles.

The Manitobans arrested include a 25-year-old Winnipeg man (three counts of conspiracy to commit an indictable offence), a 35-year-old from Manitoba and Ontario (a total of 13 gun and conspiracy charges), and a 19-year-old from Sandy Bay (three counts of conspiracy to commit an indictable offence).

Insp. Josh Ewatski of Winnipeg’s organized crime unit said the accused were using fake IDs to move around the country.

“(They used) drivers’ licences from multiple provinces, social insurance numbers to travel on commercial airlines and railways, and they also used fraudulent identification to open bank accounts throughout Canada so as to be able to access the money to fund their operations,” he said.

“The organized crime group used sophisticated methods to transport their drugs to the communities through Canada, including airplanes, trains, off-road vehicles, boats, mail service and trap vehicles — which are cars and trucks that have sophisticated, professionally-built hidden compartments built in them.”

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