Seven individuals charged with firearms and drug offences during RCMP Federal Serious Organized Crime investigation, Project Barnacle
Four individuals from this Province and three from Ontario are charged with various firearms and drug-related offences following Project Barnacle, an organized crime investigation led by the RCMP Federal Serious and Organized Crime Unit in St. John's.
On February 11, 2021, RCMP officers from the Federal Serious Organized Crime Unit, with assistance from the Emergency Response Team, Holyrood and Harbour Grace RCMP Detachments, the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary and the Ontario RCMP Federal Serious and Organized Crime Unit, executed search warrants at five residences within Newfoundland and Labrador and Ontario.
The warrants were executed at one home in Torbay, two in St. John's, one in Etobicoke and one in Mississauga, following a combined four-kilogram seizure of cocaine in St. John's and Etobicoke on January 18, 2021. Twelve pounds of ecstasy, more than $200,000.00 in cash, firearms, including five long guns and a stolen glock handgun, approximately 10,000 rounds of ammunition, high end jewellery, an undisclosed amount of prescription pills and ten vehicles were among some of the items seized.
The eighteen-month investigation, assisted by Canada Post Postal Inspectors, has led to charges against the following four individuals from this province and they are:
Thirty-year-old Jordan Langdon and thirty-two-year-old Katie Tucker of St. John's are charged with the following offences:
- Conspiracy to traffic cocaine contrary to section 465(1)(c) of the Criminal Code of Canada (CC), respecting section 5(1) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA).
- Trafficking in MDMA (ecstasy) contrary to Section 5(1) CDSA
- Possession for the purpose of trafficking MDMA contrary to Section 5(2) of the CDSA
- Three counts of unlawful storage of a firearm Section 86(1) CC
- Possession of a firearm for dangerous purpose Section 88 CC
- Two counts of possession of a prohibited firearm Section 91(1) CC
- Possession of prohibited firearm with readily accessible ammunition Sec. 95(B) CC
- Possession of a stolen firearm Section 96(a) CC
- Possession of property obtained by crime CC
Thirty-one-year-old Barry Nolan of St. John's is charged with the following offences:
- Conspiracy to traffic cocaine contrary to section 465(1)(c) CC, respecting section 5(1) of the CDSA.
- Trafficking in cocaine contrary to Section 5(1) CDSA
- Possession for the purpose of trafficking cocaine contrary to Section 5(2) CDSA
Thirty-three-year-old Justin Parsons of St. John's is charged with the following offences:
- Conspiracy to traffic Cocaine contrary to section 465(1)(c) of the CC, respecting section 5(1) of the CDSA.
The four accused appeared in court on Sept 22, 2021, and were released on conditions. Their next court appearance is set for October 27, 2021.
The following three individuals in Ontario have now been charged:
Thirty-three-year-old Miguel Gutierrez of Mississauga is charged with the following offences:
- Conspiracy to traffic cocaine contrary to section 465(1)(c) CC, respecting section 5(1) of the CDSA.
- Trafficking in cocaine contrary to Section 5(1) CDSA
- Possession for the purpose of trafficking cocaine contrary to Section 5(2) of the CDSA
Thirty-nine-year-old Tan Vo of Mississauga and thirty-five-year-old Linda Nguyen of Mississauga are charged with the following offence:
- Conspiracy to traffic Cocaine contrary to section 465(1)(c) of the CC, respecting section 5(1) of the CDSA.
The three accused were released from custody and are set to attend court on October 22, 2021, in Ontario.
The RCMP NL Federal Serious and Organized Crime Unit targets criminal activity involving national security, transnational and serious organized crime and cybercrime throughout the entire province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The RCMP's ability to coordinate the investigations of the Federal Serious and Organized Crime Units across Canada makes it difficult for criminal groups to use provincial jurisdictions to evade being brought to justice.
Many illegal drugs get cut with different substances by drug traffickers, including fentanyl. Plan and prepare for opioid overdose by carrying a Naloxone kit. Please call 811 to find your nearest location for a free naloxone kit or visit https://www.gov.nl.ca/hcs/naloxonekits/.
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