By Mike Anderson
York Regional Police arrested and charged 23 people and seized close to $100,000 worth of drugs during Project Heater, a coordinated crackdown on cocaine and fentanyl trafficking in Georgina.
This follows last year’s Project Homecoming, which also saw 23 people arrested and charged in Georgina for various drug offences, including fentanyl trafficking.
Project Homecoming was, in part, a response to a spike in 911 overdose calls and two overdose deaths attributed to fentanyl use.
According to Detective Darren Burd, one of the case managers for Project Heater, between February 1 and June 15, 2021, YRP was able to identify multiple suspects in Georgina, Beaverton, and Toronto.
Search warrants were executed at four residential homes in Georgina, and four residential homes and two businesses in Toronto. A total of 81 charges were laid as a result of the investigation.
“With this investigation, we focused more on drug dealers coming from outside of Georgina supplying the fentanyl,” said Burd, who works out of the YRP Criminal Investigations Bureau, Property Crime Unit, at 3 District in Sutton.
Seized items include 117 grams of fentanyl (green, camo, grey, pink, red), 291 grams of cocaine, 14 grams of MDMA, 13 MDMA capsules, 7.5 pounds of cannabis marihuana, 519 grams of psilocybin, 30 oxycocet pills, with a combined street value of $95,500.
In addition, $94,790 of Canadian currency was seized.
Burd credits YRP for adding another detective and two constables to his team, which allowed Project Heater to expand its investigation beyond Georgina.
“We started off targeting a high-level cocaine dealer that was in Georgina, and through that, we were able to identify other suppliers of fentanyl and cocaine.”
But Burd says anonymous tips also played a significant role.
“Our community partnerships in Georgina are very strong. Having anonymous tipsters through Crime Stoppers played a big role. It’s difficult to do the job without those partnerships.”
Burd says recent enforcement efforts have reduced the supply of fentanyl in Georgina, slowing the rate of overdoses and possibly preventing further deaths.
“I do believe we see progress in the reduction of the flow of fentanyl into Georgina,” Burd said.
“When we’re talking to fentanyl or opioid users, they tell us these projects make it difficult for them to find their supply of drugs at times.”
But Burd and his partner Detective Matthew Wyatt warn that the void may soon be filled, and the battle against fentanyl and other opiates will never be truly over.
Wyatt also says progress should not be measured solely by enforcement.
He says their efforts to build relationships with local users could help them overcome their drug dependency.
“Part of the progress we’re making is the relationships we’re building with the users. To hear their stories of how they got addicted to opiates, and to see the devastating effect it had on their families, their children, their parents,” he said.
“There are so many pieces to the puzzle. There isn’t a single thing that is going to stop fentanyl use. And I know that Darren and I are both big on building relationships and making a difference in people’s lives. So if we can save a life or change a life, or save a family from going through that despair of overdose, you can’t put a price on that.”
“Every time we meet with users, we provide resources. We try to connect them with people who can help with their addictions. That’s our main goal with these people,” Burd added.
“It’s an impossible task to stamp these drugs out completely. But if we can reduce their use and prevent new users from using these drugs that’s good. Because the hardest part is once they’ve used opioids, like fentanyl, it’s so hard to come off those drugs.”
For more information on how agencies across York Region are working to reduce opioid harm, read the Opioid Action Plan.
YRP has also produced a short video on the dangers of fentanyl; you can view it here: https://youtu.be/uGXqlaj3mKE.
Anyone with information on opioid trafficking should contact York Regional Police #3 District Criminal Investigations Bureau at 1-866-876-5423, ext.7345, or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-tips, or leave an anonymous tip online at www.1800222tips.com.
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