CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story reported the RCMP had made 29 arrests in connection with its investigation. The RCMP has since corrected the total number of people arrested to 28.
SAINT JOHN – Several people in New Brunswick have been charged in connection with an RCMP investigation into illegal drug trafficking.
The Mounties said Thursday the results stem from an operation targeting organized crime called “Operation Tornado-J”.
Twenty-eight people were arrested, including the alleged leaders of three criminal groups in New Brunswick.
Police also seized significant quantities of cocaine, heroin, marijuana, guns and money.
“These criminals have lost a lot of money,” said RCMP Staff Sergeant Al Farrah in Saint John.
All but one of the people arrested are from New Brunswick, and all are facing drug-related charges.
“Some are also facing charges related to the participation of activities to a criminal organization and conspiracy to traffic drugs, firearms offences and proceeds of crime offences,” Farrah said.
Some are also facing charges in relation to participation in a criminal organization, firearms offences and proceeds of crime offences.
The RCMP said two criminal groups in Saint John were supplied drugs by a criminal group in Moncton and drug traffickers located in Montreal and Halifax.
The drugs were then redistributed around Saint John, Fredericton, Oromocto, Sussex, St. George and Grand Manan Island.
Inspector Glen McCloskey with the Saint John Police said all sides worked well together.
“Sharing information and intelligence is a necessity in the complex policing world,” he said. “Thursday’s announcement illustrates that offenders cannot utilize geography and jurisdiction to to avoid detection and arrest.”
With files from Global News reporter Brion Robinson
Below: An RCMP map of southern New Brunswick depicting the alleged drug trafficking networks disrupted by Operation J-Tornado
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