Toronto police said 10 young people — including three minors, one of whom is just 16 — have been arrested in a drugs and firearms investigation that turned up a handgun, fentanyl and thousands of dollars in cash.
Four of those arrested were charged with failing to comply with release orders and undertakings following previous encounters with law enforcement.
The Toronto Police Service (TPS) said drug squad officers, the emergency task force and the canine unit, executed search warrants in the Eglinton Avenue West and Caledonia Road area on Tuesday.
Police said they found cocaine, fentanyl, oxycodone, crack cocaine, currency, a loaded firearm and ammunition at a residence.
Officers also found crack, fentanyl and cocaine in a vehicle.
The drug squad executed another search warrant at a residence in the Dufferin Street and Rogers Road area, according to a TPS news release.
This time officers found thousands in Canadian currency along with an electronic money counter, ammunition, a prohibited extended magazine for a Glock firearm, a Sig Sauer handgun case, as well as a scale and drug paraphernalia.
Loaded handgun found in raid
According to police, items seized include:
- 934 grams of cocaine
- 601 grams of fentanyl
- 185 grams of crack cocaine
- 45 5mg oxycodone pills
- $6,787 in Canadian currency
- Glock 21 .45-calibre loaded handgun
- 23 rounds of .45-calibre ammunition
- a tactical ballistic vest
Ty Ponte-Ryan, 20, Romeu Sousa Bulhoes, 21, Guilherme Dias, 21, Kenneth Merdan Oguzhan, 20, and Steven Moniz, 21, all of Toronto, Jafet Arana, 24, of Mississauga, and Tyler Shears, 22, of Aurora, each face multiple charges of possession of a Schedule 1 substance for the purpose of trafficking.
Ponte-Ryan and Moniz are also charged with possession of proceeds of crime under $5,000.
Ponte-Ryan, Dias and Arana are charged with failure to comply with a release order while Oguzhan is charged with failure to comply with an undertaking.
Two 17-year-olds face multiple counts of possession of a Schedule 1 substance for the purpose of trafficking plus possession of proceeds of crime under $5,000.
Police said the 16-year-old is charged with the following:
- Possession of a firearm knowing its possession is unauthorized
- Possession of a loaded prohibited or restricted firearm
- Unauthorized possession of a firearm
- Careless storage of a firearm
- Careless storage of ammunition
- Careless storage of a prohibited device
- Eight counts of possession of a Schedule 1 substance for the purpose of trafficking
- Possession of proceeds of crime under $5,000
The seven accused males were scheduled to appear Tuesday at the Toronto Regional Bail Centre on Finch Avenue West while the three minors were set to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice on Armoury Street.
The youths' names cannot be published under the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
None the allegations have been tested in court and the accused are considered innocent until proven guilty.
