Three people from Brant and Niagara charged in connection to major drug bust by York police

York police have charged 23 people – including one from Brantford and two from Niagara – and laid over 300 charges in a major crackdown on fentanyl and firearm trafficking in the Greater Toronto Area.

The investigation, dubbed Project Chatter, began in October 2024 and targeted the operations of a large drug and firearm trafficking network believed to be operating across the GTA.

Officers executed a total of 15 search warrants in Richmond Hill, Toronto, Ajax, Scarborough, Etobicoke, Mississauga and Niagara Falls.

During the searches, investigators seized 32 illegal firearms, over $130,000 in Canadian currency, $18,000 in U.S. currency and over 700,000 doses of fentanyl.

Police say the fentanyl has a street value of over $7 million.

The following people have been arrested and are facing over 300 cumulative charges:

• Daniel Salmon, 31, of Brantford
• Tyler Hutton, 26, of Niagara Falls
• Kara-Leigh Ewin, 29, of Niagara Falls
• Dwayne Mark Willis, 32, of Mississauga
• Reon Richie Alexis, 36, of Mississauga
• Julien Ragganandan, 35, of Toronto
• Darryl Yong, 51, of Toronto
• Daniel Vargas, 31, of Toronto
• Shemar Tomlinson, 29, of Toronto
• Jesse Boatend, 30, of Toronto
• Nathan Edward Stewart, 42, of Toronto
• Kijaro Shyheim Kahleil Thomas-Scott, 29, of Ajax
• Evan Taylor Lee, 61, of Richmond Hill
• Bogdan Butean, 31, of Richmond Hill
• Jayden Williams, 22, of Ajax
• Chloe Mitchell, 22, of Toronto
• Jaeanna Leandra Livingston, 18, of Ajax
• Rondell Solomon, 24, of Ajax
• Olanzo Renardo Nelson, 26, of Toronto
• Scott McFarlane, 50, of Richmond Hill
• Darnell Wendel O’Neil Garnes, 29, of Toronto
• Eric Allison, 34, of Richmond Hill
• Lucia Stellato, 25, of Richmond Hill

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact York police at 1-866-876-5423 ext. 7818.

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