Pubdate: Sat, 17 Jun 2017
Source: Sudbury Star (CN ON)
Copyright: 2017 Osprey Media
Contact: http://www.thesudburystar.com/letters
Website: http://www.thesudburystar.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/608
Author: Joe Warmington
Page: A2

GANG TARGETED CITY

'Sudbury is a lucrative market for the gangs to expand to'

The first thing Greater Sudbury Police noticed was more fentanyl
showing up on local people in their arrests.

"Then we noticed there were more people being arrested with Southern
Ontario addresses," Insp. Dan Despatie said Friday. Something wasn't
adding up. One phone call to Toronto Police and not only did it become
crystal clear what was happening, but Sudbury police were suddenly up
to their neck in what we now know to be Project Kronic.

They were worked closely with up to 16 police services and with York
Regional Police Insp, Henry deRuiter and OPP Det. Insp. Bill Klym, who
were on hand for Friday's news conference at Police Headquarters in
Toronto.

Toronto Police Insp. Peter Moreira pointed out the Driftwood Crips
gang and its hierarchy had reaches "far beyond our city's borders" and
no one knows that more than deRuiter, Klym and Despatie, who saw an
increase in violence, guns, overdoses and robberies in their
jurisdictions.

The guns and drugs may have been emanating from Driftwood but they
were ending up everywhere.

"Like many businesses, they were looking to expand. But this was
illegal business," said Despatie. "Sudbury is a lucrative market for
the gangs to expand to."

And expand they did. In fact Thursday's takedown netted a significant
amount of contraband in Sudbury.

While the street value of fentanyl patches seized in Toronto was
$38,600, the dollar figure of $86,850 worth of the narcotic patches
seized in Sudbury was more than double. The fentanyl pill dollar
amount in Toronto was $15,520 and in Sudbury it was $23,280.

In Sudbury, 33 people were arrested.

None of this surprised Despatie.

"Sudbury is not very far away when you think about it and not very
hard to get to," Despatie said. "Its straight up the Hwy. 400 and you
can get there in under four hours."

Seems members of the Driftwood Crips found that out and allegedly set
up shop there.

"It was like a cell or a branch office," he said.

Thanks to Project Kronic, the office is now closed.

On Thursday, Toronto police chief Mark Saunders said at a news
conference that Sudbury was definitely a focal point of the sting,
which targeted members of the Driftwood Crips.

"We allege that a member of the Driftwood Crips was supplying a large
quantity of fentanyl and cocaine to a network of dealers in the
Sudbury area, which include a member from Hells Angels," said Saunders.

"The investigation has resulted in a significant seizure of firearms
and proceeds of illegal narcotics, which will be on display tomorrow."

The Project Kronic busts were carried out "this morning between 1 a.m.
and 5 a.m.," he said, with "77 warrants … simultaneously conducted at
residences in Toronto, York Region, Peel Region, Durham Region and the
Greater Sudbury area."

He said tactical teams from 20 police services - including Sudbury's,
as well as departments in Sault Ste. Marie and North Bay - were
involved, comprising more than 800 officers.

In all, the raids have led to 120 people being arrested and more than
660 charges "related to criminal organization offences, attempted
murder, trafficking firearms, kidnapping conspiracies, firearms
possession, robbery and drug trafficking," he said.

Drugs involved include marijuana, heroin, meth, cocaine and fentanyl.
All of the accused were to attend bail court on Thursday, said Chief
Saunders.
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