A Fort Frances woman is among 11 people charged following a year-long investigation by the Tri-Force Drug Unit that netted $2 million in drugs and about $500,000 in cash and assets seized.
Pamela Colfer, 39, was arrested Oct. 12 and charged with possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking and proceeds of crime, police said in a press release issued yesterday afternoon.
A total of 64 drug charges were laid in the wake of 19 search warrants executed in Thunder Bay, Fort Frances, and Winnipeg over the past several days, police noted.
Also facing charges are Anthony Marozzo, 39, Elio Deamicis, 40, John Pawluk, 38, Ronald Johnston, 40, Candice Cooper, 37, and Jason Hopkins, 29, all of Thunder Bay, Kurt Breton, 40, and Derrick Waselenko, 40, both of St. Clements, Man., and Jeff Priestly, 38, and Grant Kabez, 37, both of Winnipeg.
Arrest warrants for six others have been issued, police said.
The investigation—which centred on the illegal distribution of controlled substances, mainly hash oil, into the region—was able to break a ring that operated between Jamaica, Canada, and the U.S., police said.
The drugs seized included roughly 89 kg of hash oil, 358 grams of cocaine, 335 grams of hash, and nine kg of marijuana.
This investigation’s Tri-Force Drug Unit was composed of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Thunder Bay Police, and the OPP, and included the OPP Crime Unit from London.
It also was assisted by 18 other agencies, including the Fort Frances, Thunder Bay, and Nipigon OPP, Canada Customs, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Custom Service, and Minnesota Bureau of Crime Investigation.
Local, county, and state law enforcement agencies in Minnesota also were among those involved.
Fort Frances Times
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