WINNIPEG – A former candidate for city council is among 14 people arrested and charged with drug trafficking, proceeds of crime and weapons offences Wednesday following a multi-force police investigation.
Raymond Ulasy, 50, is one of 10 Winnipeggers charged following a 15-month investigation worked on by more than 200 police officers from Manitoba, Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan and B.C. in what the forces call Project Distress. Ulasy, who garnered more than 4,000 votes but was defeated by Transcona Coun. Russ Wyatt in the October 2014 election, is charged with two counts of firearms trafficking.
His family says they were blindsided by the charges.
“I have no idea how he is involved, it is shocking,” said Angela Dowd, Ulasy’s sister.
The investigation, which started in October 2013, focused on “high-level members of drug trafficking cells” in Manitoba, police said in a news release. Investigators used wire taps and intercepted more than 80,000 private communications, they said.
Five search warrants were executed on Dec. 10 in Winnipeg, the Manitoba rural municipality of MacDonald and Port Coquitlam, B.C.
Six kilograms of cocaine, eight kilograms of methamphetamine and other drugs were seized during the course of the investigation.
Police also seized three handguns, 17 long-barrel guns and ammunition as well as $70,000 in cash.
Dowd said the guns taken from Ulasy’s home were simply hunting weapons.
“Everybody on this street is probably thinking their neighbour is a drug lord but it is not what happened here,” she said. “What was seized here are fire arms used for hunting.”
“We believe it will have a significant impact on the drug trade in the province going in and out,” said Supt. Len Del Pino, with the RCMP.
The RCMP, Winnipeg Police Service, Brandon Police Service, Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team, Peel Regional Police Service and Canada Border Services Agency were all involved in the investigation.
Global News has learned a civilian agent, similar to police informant, was used in this case. RCMP would not comment on what type of pay off that person may have received.
“That matter is before the courts and all that will come out in due order,” said Del Pino.
The mandate of the operation “was to disrupt and dismantle organized crime in the province of Manitoba,” police said.
The other people arrested Wednesday were:
Jared Romeo Devloo, 35, of the RM of MacDonald; charged with conspiracy to traffic in a controlled substance (cocaine), three counts of trafficking in a controlled substance (cocaine) and three counts of possession of the proceeds of crime.
Jason Morris Ong, 28, of Winnipeg; charged with conspiracy to traffic in a controlled substance (cocaine), three counts of trafficking in a controlled substance (cocaine) and three counts of possession of the proceeds of crime.
Ryan Christopher Martinzed, 24, of Winnipeg; charged with conspiracy to traffic in a controlled substance (cocaine), two counts of trafficking in a controlled substance (cocaine) and two counts of possession of the proceeds of crime.
Marlon Delim, 35, of Winnipeg; charged with conspiracy to traffic in a controlled substance (cocaine), trafficking in a controlled substance (cocaine) and possession of the proceeds of crime.
Michael Hidalgo, 32, of Winnipeg; charged with conspiracy to traffic in a controlled substance (methamphetamine), conspiracy to possess proceeds of crime, five counts of trafficking in a controlled substance (methamphetamine) and five counts of possession of the proceeds of crime.
Reighner Delacruz, 25, of Winnipeg; charged with conspiracy to traffic in a controlled substance (methamphetamine), conspiracy to possess proceeds of crime, five counts of trafficking in a controlled substance (methamphetamine), six counts of possession of the proceeds of crime, possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking (cocaine) and possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking (methamphetamine).
Kara Lynn Peralta, 22, of Winnipeg; charged with possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking (cocaine), possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking (methamphetamine) and possession of the proceeds of crime.
Randy Baldovi, 31, of Port Coquitlam, B.C., formerly of Winnipeg; charged with trafficking in a controlled substance (methamphetamine) and possession of the proceeds of crime.
Michael Tuan Van Nguyen, 25, of Mississauga, Ont., formerly of Calgary; charged with conspiracy to traffic in a controlled substance (cocaine), trafficking in a controlled substance (cocaine) and possession of the proceeds of crime.
Alexey Shuster, 27, of Edmonton; charged with conspiracy to traffic in a controlled substance (cocaine) and trafficking in a controlled substance (cocaine).
Darren Raymond Colomy, 40, of Winnipeg; charged with trafficking in a controlled substance (steroids) and possession of the proceeds of crime.
Police are still looking for:
Sean Frederick Demchuk, 31, of Winnipeg; charged with conspiracy to traffic in a controlled substance (methamphetamine), conspiracy to traffic in a controlled substance (cocane) and two counts of possession of the proceeds of crime.
Christopher Houston Gordon, 30, of Winnipeg; charged with three counts of trafficking in a controlled substance (cocaine) and three counts of possession of the proceeds of crime.
WATCH: Guns and drugs seized by RCMP
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