Drug ring “crippled” after raids: police

WINNIPEG – Winnipeg police believe a massive undercover sting has made a dent in drug trafficking in the city.

“The ability for this group to grow and prosper has been crippled by this operation,” said Staff Sgt. Rob Harding, of the Winnipeg Police Service.

Project Sideshow started in the spring of 2012. It targeted an organized crime group that is accused of importing drugs through Vancouver into Winnipeg. It took nearly two years before officers made their move.

On Feb. 5, police executed 19 search warrants across Winnipeg and British Columbia and arrested 19 people. Combined they face just over 200 charges.

Police seized $301,800 in Canadian currency, more than five kilograms of cocaine, 1.5 kilograms of ecstasy and just under 1.5 kilograms of marijuana.

Six ATMs were also confiscated. Police believe they were being used to launder money in bars in Winnipeg.

Ronald Baldovi, 35, of Port Coquitlam, B.C., is charged with:

• Eight counts of conspiracy to commit an indictable offence,
• Three counts of trafficking in a scheduled substance,
• Trafficking in property worth more than $5,000 obtained by crime,
• Three counts of possession of a scheduled substance for the purpose of trafficking,
• Possessing property worth more than $5,000 obtained by crime for the purpose of trafficking.

Carol Villanueva Banayos, 32, of Winnipeg, is charged with four counts of conspiracy to commit an indictable offence

Ronald George Morrison, 67, of Winnipeg, is charged with:

• Three counts of possessing cocaine for the purpose of trafficking,
• Trafficking cocaine,
• Trafficking proceeds of crime,
• Possessing proceeds of crime worth more than $5,000 for the purpose of trafficking,
• Trafficking proceeds of crime over $5,000,
• Two counts of possessing the proceeds of crime.

Rayan Dizon, 35, of Winnipeg, is charged with:

• Eight counts of conspiracy to commit indictable offence,
• Three counts of trafficking in a scheduled substance (meth, ecstasy, cocaine),
• Possessing property obtained by crime worth more than $5,000 for the purpose of trafficking;
• Trafficking in property obtained by crime worth more than $5,000,
• Possessing property obtained by crime worth more than $5,000,
• Possessing marijuana for the purpose of trafficking,
• Possessing cocaine for the purpose of trafficking,
• Possessing MDMA (ecstasy) for the purpose of trafficking,
• Possessing the proceeds of crime worth more than $5,000,
• Possessing a firearm and ammunition for the purpose of trafficking,
• Trafficking in a firearm, device or ammunition,
• Possessing a firearm or ammunition for the purpose of trafficking,
• Possessing a firearm with an altered serial number,
• Possessing a loaded, prohibited or restricted firearm,
• Three counts of possessing a firearm or ammunition for the purpose of trafficking,
• Trafficking in a firearm, weapon device or ammunition
• Careless storage of a firearm x 3
• Possession of weapon for a dangerous purpose x 3;
• Possession of firearm without a license x 3;
• Possession of firearm without registration certificate x 3;
• Possession of prohibited firearm with ammunition
• Possession of firearm obtained by criminal offence;
• Possession of prohibited devices (high capacity magazine) x 5.

Oliver Villanueva Banayos, 36, Winnipeg:

• Conspiracy to commit indictable offence x 8;
• Trafficking cocaine;
• Trafficking property obtained by crime over $5,000.00
• Possess cocaine for the purpose of trafficking;
• Possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000.00;
• Possess proceeds of crime x 2.

6. Philip Manh Nguyen, 28 yrs, Winnipeg, MB
Charged: Conspiracy to commit indictable offence x 4;
Trafficking cocaine;
Possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking x2;
Trafficking in property obtained by crime over $5,000.00;
Possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000.00 for the
purpose of trafficking;

7. Lindsey Lafrenais, 32 yrs, Winnipeg, MB
Charged: Conspiracy to commit indictable offence x 8;
Possess property obtained by crime over $5,000.00 for the purpose of
trafficking;
Possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000.00;
Possession of a scheduled substance for the purpose of trafficking x 3
(Cocaine, Meth, Ecstasy);
Trafficking in property obtained by crime over $5,000.00;
Traffic in a scheduled substance x 3 (Cocaine, Meth, Ecstasy);
Possess for the purpose of trafficking x 3 (Cocaine, Ecstasy, Cannabis
Marihuana);
Possess proceeds of crime over $5,000;

8. Baljinder Singh, 33 yrs, Winnipeg, MB
Charged: Conspiracy to commit indictable offence x 10
Traffick in a scheduled substance x 3;
Possession of a scheduled substance for the purpose of trafficking x 3;
Trafficking in property obtained by crime over $5,000.00;
Possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000 for the purpose
of Trafficking
Trafficking in a firearm, weapon, device or ammunition;
Possess ballistic vest without a license;
Possess proceeds of crime under $5,000.00.

9. Narinder Singh, 39 yrs, Winnipeg, MB
Charged: Conspiracy to commit indictable offence x 6;
Traffic in a scheduled substance – cocaine;
Trafficking in property obtained by crime over $5,000.00;
Possess a scheduled substance for the purpose of trafficking x 2;
Possess property obtained by crime over $5,000 for the purpose of
trafficking;
Trafficking methamphetamine.

10. Chandeep Singh Dhaliwal, 28 yrs, Howden, MB
Charged: Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence x 5;
Traffic in a Scheduled Substance to wit. Cocaine;
Possession of a Scheduled Substance for the Purpose
of Trafficking x2;
Trafficking in Property Obtained by Crime Over $5000;
Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Over $5000 for the Purpose
of Trafficking;
Conspiracy to commit an indictable offence x 2;
Trafficking a firearm, weapon & ammunition x 2;
Possess firearm while prohibited.

11. Timothy Fuller, 46 yrs, Vancouver, British Columbia
Charged: Conspiracy to commit indictable offence x 8;
Trafficking in property obtained by crime over $5,000;
Possess property obtained by crime over $5,000 for the purpose of
trafficking;
Traffic in a scheduled substance x 3;
Possession of a scheduled substance for the purpose of trafficking x 3.

12. Cara Melissa Smith, 33 yrs, Vancouver, British Columbia
Charged: Conspiracy to commit indictable offence x 8;
Trafficking in property obtained by crime over $5,000.00;
Possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000.00 for the
purpose of trafficking;
Trafficking in a scheduled substance x 3;
Possession of a scheduled substance for the purpose of trafficking x 3.

13. Vanessa Gillies, 27 yrs, Toronto, ON/Winnipeg, MB
Charged: Conspiracy to Commit Indictable Offence x 4
Possess proceeds of crime over $5,000.00
Possess cocaine for the purpose of trafficking
Trafficking in property obtained by crime over $5,000.00
Trafficking cocaine
Possess property obtained by crime over $5,000.00 for the purpose of
trafficking

14. Ryan Michael Dimaala, 32 yrs, Winnipeg, MB
Charged: Possess cocaine for the purpose of trafficking
Possess proceeds of crime over $5,000.00