A year-long investigation into gun trafficking has led to the arrest of 42 people and the seizure of hundreds of weapons, some of which police say were disguised as Christmas gifts in an attempt to be smuggled across the border.
Dubbed Project Moneypenny, the multi-jurisdictional probe resulted in the arrest of 42 people who are now facing more than 400 criminal charges.
Seated before 80 of the 173 guns seized, officials from Toronto Police Service, York Regional Police, Durham Regional Police Service, Ontario Provincial Police, Canada Border Services Agency, and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives outlined their individual roles in the investigation, which also led to the seizure of a large quantity of illegal narcotics, cash, and ammunition.
“Make no mistake, when police take drugs and other proceeds of crime we're preventing activities that diminish the quality of life for our citizens,” Deputy Chief Rob Johnson from Toronto Police Service said during a Tuesday morning news conference.
“Through Project Moneypenny, police are holding organized criminals accountable for putting the well being and safety of our communities, our friends and our families at risk.”
Last March, Toronto Police Service's Integrated Gun & Gang Task Force – Firearms Enforcement Unit with the assistance of the Toronto Drug Squad and Intelligence Services launched the first incarnation of Project Moneypenny.
In July 2022, York Regional Police’s Guns, Gangs and Drug Enforcement Unit launched a similar investigation called Project Zorro.
Police said during the initial phases of both projects undercover officers successfully purchased quantities of fentanyl and cocaine, as well as 25 illegal guns, from “identified persons.”
Investigators said most of the illicit firearms seized from both investigations came from the United States. However, several were also domestically sourced.
“The proliferation of illegal guns in our communities is alarming. And we're well we are all battling the same challenges with guns coming from the United States. We all know the trafficking of guns and drugs across the border remains a significant problem,” said Deputy Chief Alvaro Almeida from York Regional Police.
“Canada’s grappling with the fact that 66 of the 86 firearms seized during this investigation here in Canada through this operation came from the United States.”
Almeida said the only way to combat this problem is for police forces to work together.
“The goal of every agency here is to keep our citizens safe and rest assured we will not be deterred from that goal. Police services and all jurisdictions are committed to eradicate the malice of organized crime in the gun and drug trafficking industry,” he vowed.
“And every time law enforcement cooperating and working in participation with one another disrupt these activities, it's a win for all our communities.”
Last September, with the help of Criminal Intelligence Services Ontario and Firearms Analysis and Training Enforcement, police merged the two cases to “maximize the potential for a positive investigative outcome.”
Police said that Project Moneypenny, which was further expanded to include Durham Regional Police Service, the OPP, the US Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Canada Border Services Agency(CBSA), focused on dismantling the gun smuggling network and identifying and prosecuting those responsible for running and enabling it.
Last June, CBSA became involved in the investigation after an international border element was identified, said David Glos, who directs the Intelligence and Investigations Division.
“I want to point out that it is important to note that while firearms can be used in multiple crimes multiple times so even a single seizure can have a ripple effect, so congratulations again to all the team that worked on Project Moneypenny. We demonstrate success that we can achieve when various levels of law enforcement are together in partnership,” he said.
Police said one of the most notable breaks in the case was when they seized 87 handguns in Chicago, Illinois, from a vehicle driven by an Arizona resident. Those firearms, which originated in Arizona, Florida, North Carolina, Georgia, Ohio, and Texas, were carefully packed in bubble wrap then wrapped in holiday wrapping and placed in suitcases to avoid detection by border security. The guns were destined for Canada, they said.
In total, investigators seized 86 firearms (75 handguns, 11 long guns) in the GTA, 87 firearms in Illinois, 45 over-capacity magazines, 1,454 rounds of ammunition, three auto switches, three sets of body armour and approximately 1.5 kilos of fentanyl/carfentanil with an estimated street value of $300,000, as well as 1.8 kilos of cocaine with a street value of approximately $190,000 and $184,000 in cash during Project Moneypenny.
Police also arrested 42 people, including three youth, between November 2022 and March 2023 following the execution of 49 search warrants in Toronto, Peel Region and Durham Region. Investigators allege that the accused were also selling narcotics, including fentanyl, carfentanil and cocaine.
All of those charged have appeared in court and are set to be remanded to the New Toronto Court House on Friday.
