Twenty seven people, including six members of known biker gangs, have been arrested in connection with a joint investigation which police say has led to the dismantling of organized drug and gun crime rings throughout Ontario.

The arrests, which were announced Thursday afternoon, come after police executed numerous raids across the province over the last month.

Police say that officers first executed nine high-risk search warrants in the Greater Toronto Area on Jan. 18, which resulted in the arrest of 12 individuals.

The execution of additional search warrants on Wednesday then led to 15 more people being arrested, including three members of the Hells Angels and three members of the Red Devils Motorcycle Club, police say.

Investigators say that a total of eight firearms were seized during the raids, as well as two stun guns, two replica handguns, live ammunition and hard and soft body armour.

Police also seized 26 kilograms of cocaine, 1.5 kilograms of Fentanyl, 6 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, 400 crystal methamphetamine pills, 20 pounds of cannabis, 500 packages of cannabis edibles, 700 cannabis edibles, 8 pounds of hashish, and 7 grams of Psilocybin.

A quantity of other property was also recovered, including 10 vehicles, jewelry valued at roughly $150,000, and more than $370,000 in Canadian currency.

The investigation, dubbed ‘Project Coyote,’ initially began in January 2022.

It was led by Ontario Provincial Police’s organized crime and operations intelligence bureaus in partnership with Toronto and Belleville police.

Speaking during Thursday’s virtual news conference, OPP Chief Supt. Paul Mackey said every day in Ontario people “feel the impacts of organized crime” as those who propagate it “live here and have vast resources at their disposal” and are becoming bigger, bolder, and more enterprising and sophisticated.

“That's why the OPP is committed to partnering with other law enforcement agencies to investigate these crime rates and hold goals responsible accountable,” he said.

“Together, we take an integrated intelligence led approach which has resulted in many successful investigations.”

Mackey went on to say that the results of Project Coyote represent a “disruption of the elevated threat posed by the ongoing association of these criminal organizations.”

Toronto police Staff Supt. Paul MacIntyre, meanwhile, spoke about the collaboration it takes among police forces to “keep our community safe.”

“No matter what uniform patch we wear on our shirts, we will work together,” he said during the brief news conference.

“Several criminal organizations and their illicit activities have been disrupted for the betterment of people in our city and cities and towns across Ontario. Make no mistake when police take violent criminals off the streets, not to mention the guns, drugs and other proceeds of crime, we are preventing criminals, criminal acts that undoubtedly diminish the quality of life for our people.”