An organized cocaine trafficking syndicate has been taken down in the Quinte region.
In May 2023, Belleville police and Project Renewal began investigating the syndicate between the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and the Quinte region.
The investigation was dubbed Project Continental.
On Thursday, the Emergency Response Unit, K9 Unit, and Project Renewal stopped a vehicle on Shannonville Road in Tyendinaga Township.
Two people were arrested and a large quantity of cash and cocaine were seized.
Meantime, officers conducted three separate search warrants, with the additional involvement of the Quinte West Community Street Crime Unit, and the OPP’s Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau.
One warrant was served on the Tyendinaga-Mohawk Territory, two were in residences in Belleville, and there was also a traffic stop on Wallbridge-Loyalist Road.
As a result of the investigation, the following items were seized:
- Two kilograms of cocaine
- 28 TEC 3 (codeine) pills
- Approximately $13,500 in Canadian currency
- A Glock .45-caliber handgun and various ammunition
- A high capacity drum magazine
- Brass knuckles
- Codeine pills
- Numerous cellphones
Twenty-eight-year-old Kurtis Mallette of Tyendinaga was charged with the following offences:
- Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking – Cocaine
- Possession of proceeds of crime over $5,000
- Possession of ammunition contrary to a prohibition order
Thirty-year-old Kody Mallette of Tyendinaga fixed address was charged with the following offences:
- Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking – Cocaine
- Possession of proceeds of crime over $5,000
Twenty-six-year-old Nicole Ferguson of Belleville was charged with the following offences:
- Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking – Codeine
- Possession of proceeds of crime under $5,000
- Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose
- Possession of a prohibited device for a dangerous purpose
Forty-two-year-old Dwayne Lawrence of Belleville was charged with the following offences:
- Unauthorized possession of a weapon
- Unauthorized possession of a prohibited or restricted firearm
- Possession of a prohibited or restricted firearm with ammo
- Carry firearm, weapon, prohibited device or ammunition in a careless manner
- Possession of a firearm or ammunition contrary to a prohibition order
39-year-old Brenda-Lee Casselman of Belleville was charged with the following offences:
- Unauthorized possession of a weapon
- Unauthorized possession of a prohibited or restricted firearm
- Possession of a prohibited or restricted firearm with ammo
- Carry firearm, weapon, prohibited device or ammunition in a careless manner
- Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking – Cocaine
