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In May 2023, the Winnipeg Police Service’s (WPS) Organized Crime Unit began a project called Soft Landing, a large-scale investigation targeting a high-level inter-provincial drug network. It was determined that millions of dollars worth of illicit drugs and potentially firearms were being trafficked into Winnipeg from the Greater Toronto Area.
This criminal network used couriers, railways and bus lines to traffic drugs and guns into Winnipeg.
This investigation was successful due to the assistance of multiple police services and agencies, including:
- Public Prosecution Service of Canada
- Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Center of Canada (FINTRAC)
- Brandon Police Service
- Ontario Provincial Police
- Hamilton Police Service
- Peel Regional Police Service
- Toronto Police Service
- Halton Police Service
- Vancouver Police Service
- Via Rail Canada Police
On March 6, 2024, twenty-two Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) search warrants were executed throughout Manitoba, Ontario and British Columbia.
- 12 in Winnipeg, MB
- 4 in Hamilton, ON
- 2 in Burlington, ON
- 2 in Toronto, ON
- 2 in Vancouver, BC
During these search warrants, the following items were seized:
- 1.7 million dollars in Canadian currency
- approximately 30 kilograms of cocaine (estimated street value of $3 million)
- 4 handguns (including 2 x 3D printed guns)
- 1 sub-machine gun with a suppressor
- loaded magazines and ammunition
- 75 kilograms of cutting agent
- a hydraulic cocaine press/moulds
- 12 vehicles, including (1 Rolls Royce valued at $450,000, 4 Mercedes, 2 BMWs,
1 Lexus)
- 3 of these vehicles had custom-made concealment compartments
- 1 Harley Davidson motorcycle
- approximately $4 million in proceeds of crime (jewellery, vehicles, merchandise
As a result of Project Soft Landing, numerous individuals were arrested; while some may face charges at a later date, the following individuals were formally charged with offences related to organized crime, drug trafficking, possession of firearms, proceeds of crimes and laundering proceeds of crime.
- Darcy WARMINGTON (24) of Winnipeg, MB
- Kevon WARMINGTON, (34), of Winnipeg, MB
- Paige PRETEAU (27), of Winnipeg, MB
- Elvis OYEWOLE (33), of Winnipeg, MB
- Fiona LEWIS (62), of Winnipeg, MB
- Cornelius HIBBERT (55) of Winnipeg, MB
- Tovary SHARPE, (34), of Winnipeg, MB
- Adrian CHESTON, (28), of Winnipeg, MB
- Kerry-Ann THOMPSON, (32), of Winnipeg, MB
- Iwona GLOGOWSKI, (31), of Vancouver, BC
- Valentin KOKENY, (22), of Vancouver, BC
- Andy LE, (35), of Hamilton, ON
- Arber IMERI, (27), Burlington, ON
- Tyrone REID, (37), of Toronto, ON
The WPS Organized Crime Unit would like to acknowledge the support provided by inter-provincial law enforcement and government agencies during this investigation.