4 men face drug and fraud charges following high-risk takedown in Peterborough

Peterborough police say four men were arrested following a high-risk takedown as a result of a fraud investigation on Wednesday evening.

The takedown happened around 7 p.m. at the corner of Park and Lansdowne streets in Peterborough.

Passerby witness Brad Harling tells Global News he saw about 10 police cruisers pull up at the corner of Park and Lansdowne streets and immediately converge on a white car.

Harling says he saw a couple of men being removed from the vehicle and arrested at gunpoint.

At the nearby IDA pharmacy at Park Street and Braidwood Avenue, owner Mark Scanlon says he called the police just before 7 p.m. after noticing an alleged forged prescription for 120 generic percocet tablets. Scanlon says the narcotics have a street value of $600.

Scanlon tells Global Peterborough the computer-generated script had a Port Hope doctor’s name on it and a Cobourg address.

He contacted the doctor, who claimed the document was forged and that there were other forgery attempts using her name.

Scanlon says, after receiving confirmation it was a fake, he immediately notified police.

The pharmacist says he has dealt with several incidents of forged prescriptions over the last few months. He also says other local pharmacies have been dealing with a similar scam.

On Thursday, Peterborough Police Service said the pharmacy provided a detailed description of the suspects and the vehicle which led to the quick arrest. Police allege the men were attempting to fill forged prescriptions for opioid medications at local pharmacies.

A subsequent search of the vehicle seized fraudulent prescriptions for opioids and a large quantity of oxycodone tablets, police said.

Arrested were Luqman Rashid Jama, 19, of Courting Valley Rd., Mississauga; Anas Haji-Dhaffe, 21, of Irvine Scott St, Oshawa; Marcel Dave Phang, 21, of Bristal Rd., Mississauga and Omari Robinson-Cooper, 22, of no fixed address in Peterborough.

They were each charged with:

• Possession of a schedule I substance (Oxycodone)
• Possession of a forged document with intent
• Possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000

Haji-Dhaffe was additionally charged with obstructing a peace officer and personation with intent (identity fraud). He and Robinson-Cooper were also charged with use deals, acts on forged document.

They were held in custody and are scheduled to appear in court Thursday.

Police say the investigation is ongoing.

View image in full screen

— More to come. 

WATCH: Peterborough County calls on province and feds to address opioid crisis

1:30 Peterborough County calls on province and feds to address opioid crisis