Eleven people have been arrested and weapons and drugs were seized Wednesday as part of a major investigation throughout central Ontario, including in Peterborough.
According to Peterborough Police Service Chief Scott Gilbert, officers around 6 a.m. executed a number of search warrants on Wednesday as part of a coordinated joint force project.
Members of the service’s emergency response team, K9 unit and OPP officers were also involved in searches in Peterborough, Peterborough County, Quinte West/Belleville area and the City of Kawartha Lakes.
Scott said 13 search warrants were executed at residences, including four in Peterborough, four in the City of Kawartha Lakes, one in Peterborough County (village of Bridgenorth), one in Scarborough and three in the Quinte/Belleville area.
Another seven warrants were executed on vehicles, he said.
Scott said the “very successful investigation” resulting in 11 arrests and the seizure of “significant” quantities of cash, cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine, weapons and firearms.
Six of the handguns seized were located inside a hidden compartment in an automobile driven by one of those arrested, Scott said.
“This has been a very complex investigation that stretched into many different communities,” Scott stated.
“It could not have been as successful as it was without the partnership with the OPP and the assistance of many other police agencies such as the City of Kawartha Lakes Police Service and the Toronto Police Service.”
Scott says the investigation is ongoing. The names of those arrested will not be released until they make court appearances on Thursday, he said.
The value of the drugs and cash seized has yet to be determined.
More details are expected to be released at a press conference on Friday, Scott said.