Niagara police arrest two people following drug trafficking investigation

Police have arrested two people from Niagara Falls following a drug trafficking investigation.

During the summer of 2025, officers began an investigation into ongoing drug trafficking in Niagara Falls.

As a result of the investigation, police arrested 45-year-old Anna Cirillo and 47-year-old Beau Merkel.

Cirillo and Merkel were both charged with the following:

• Unauthorized possession of a prohibited weapon (two counts)
• Possession of fentanyl for the purpose of trafficking (two counts)
• Possession of Hydromorphone for the purpose of trafficking
• Possession of property obtained by crime under $5000 (two counts)

Merkel was also charged with possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.

On Aug. 20, detectives received judicial authorization to execute a search warrant at a home in Niagara Falls.

The search warrant led to the following items being seized:

• 111.6 grams of fentanyl
• 198 pills of hydromorphone
• 14.5 grams of cocaine
• A conducted energy weapon
• Nunchaku
• $1,380 of Canadian currency
• $360 of United States currency

Officers say two other individuals, who have not been identified, were also arrested on outstanding warrants.

Anyone with information about this investigation is asked to contact police at 905-688-4111, dial option 3, ext. 1009667.

Those wishing to provide information anonymously are asked to contact Crime Stoppers of Niagara online or by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

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