Beginning in January 2021 members of Project Renewal (a Joint Forces Operation between Belleville Police Service Drugs and Intelligence Unit and Ontario Provincial Police – Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau) began an investigation into weapons offences in the city of Belleville.
As part of the investigation on January 6, 2021 members of Project Renewal, with the assistance of Belleville Police Service Emergency Response Team and Belleville Police Service K-9 Unit, executed a Criminal Code Search Warrant at a Cannifton Road Belleville, Ontario location.
As a result of the investigation, search warrant and subsequent arrests, the following items were located and seized:
- 4.8 grams of suspected crystal methamphetamine – street value approximately $500
- $330 in Canadian currency
- Pepper spray, shotgun ammunition and a taser
- Drug paraphernalia
Thirty-three-year-old Trenton resident Zakary BALCIUNAS was charged with the following offences:
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Possession of Crystal Methamphetamine for the Purpose of Trafficking
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Possession of Proceeds of Crime
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Possession of Prohibited Weapon
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Breach of Weapons Prohibition
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Breach of Weapons Prohibition
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Unsafe Storage of Ammunition
Balciunas was released on an Officer in Charge Undertaking with a court date of February 22, 2021.
Forty-five-year-old Howard DROUIN of no fixed address was charged with the following offences.
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Possession of Prohibited Weapon
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Breach of Weapons Prohibition
Drouin was wanted by the Kingston Police Force on outstanding charges and was transported to Kingston. Drouin will appear in a Belleville court February 18, 2021.
SUBMITTED BY BELLEVILLE POLICE
