A resident of East Gwillimbury and three others are facing charges under the Criminal Code and Controlled Drugs and Substances Act after nearly two kilograms of suspected cocaine was seized in connection with a drug trafficking investigation in Thunder Bay, according to the Ontario Provincial Police.
Three search warrants were executed at residences in Thunder Bay and Kakabeka Falls on Dec. 10 by the OPP-led Provincial Joint Forces Guns and Gangs Enforcement Team, OPP emergency response team, OPP community street crime Unit, Thunder Bay Police Service and Nishnawbe Aski Police Service. The Toronto Police Service Drug Squad also assisted with this investigation.
As a result of the search warrants, police said they seized: 1.7 kilograms of suspected cocaine; $257,000 in Canadian currency; four cell phones, three digital scales and one laptop computer.
The estimated street-value of the drugs seized is $170,000, police said.
Malcolm Parchment, 30, of East Gwillimbury, Philip Arpin, 62, of Thunder Bay, April Arpin, 43, of Thunder Bay and Lauritz Pajamaki, 70, of Kakabeka Falls have each been charged with the following two offences: possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime over $5,000 and possession for the purpose of trafficking - cocaine, police said.
One of the accused remains in custody and the other three accused were released. They are scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Thunder Bay on various dates.
The OPP thanks TBPS, NAPS and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) for their support of the PGNG program.
Anyone with any information about illegal firearms or the possession, manufacturing or trafficking of illicit drugs should contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or ontariocrimestoppers.ca.
