York Regional Police have charged 17 people and seized $14 million worth of drugs after a year-long investigation launched after a violent home invasion in Vaughan.
During the investigation dubbed Project Skyfall, police seized more than 290,000 Oxycodone pills, as well as other drugs, including cocaine, ketamine and methamphetamine, worth more than $14 million.
The investigation began after a violent Vaughan home robbery last Christmas Eve. Police received a report of a home invasion in progress at a residence in the area of Forest Drive and Harmonia Crescent.
Three masked suspects forced entry into the home, held the occupants at gunpoint, and assaulted them while making demands for money.
When police encountered the suspects, an officer fired a gun multiple times. One suspect was taken into custody and two fled the scene. A loaded firearm was dropped by one of the suspects and seized. No one was seriously injured.
Vaughan incident connected to 'larger criminal network': YRP
From there, investigators with the YRP’s hold up unit “unravelled a larger criminal network,” according to YRP at a news conference at its Aurora headquarters today, that was planning home invasions, armed robberies and trafficking drugs.
Det.-Sgt. Ryan Boulay said part of the network had ties to Saskatchewan, with three of the 17 charged suspects coming from the province.
Boulay added that one of the accused was allegedly accessing Ontario Ministry of Transportation data as part of the planning for some of the incidents, but could not confirm their current employment status.
"What I can tell you is that we're very confident that information is no longer being accessed by that individual," he said.
Working alongside Toronto and Peel Regional police, investigators arrested 17 suspects and laid 83 charges in all. A full list can be found here.
Deputy chief calls for bail reform
In the wake of the investigation, York Regional Police Deputy Chief Alvaro Almeida called for change in the bail system, pointing to the fact that six of the suspects were out on bail or other forms of release at the time of their arrests, while four were bound by weapons prohibition orders.
Almeida added that seven of the charged suspects have been released on bail since they were arrested, adding that this has led to "displeasure" among investigators and "concern" among community members.
“These individuals pose a danger to our community and they should be held in custody,” said Almeida. “But unfortunately they have been released. This needs to change.”
