Following a significant police operation, Lunenburg County District RCMP, with assistance from numerous police agencies, charged 14 individuals with a total of 48 charges in relation to a 10-month drug trafficking investigation in Lunenburg County and Halifax Regional Municipality.
Drug detection, prevention, and enforcement is a priority of the Lunenburg County District RCMP. In the fall of 2014, officers began a drug investigation that uncovered drug trafficking in Lunenburg County with ties to Halifax Regional Municipality. Yesterday morning, approximately 100 police officers arrested 10 individuals, conducted eight residential search warrants and seized powder and crack cocaine, prescription pills, marijuana, marijuana grow-op equipment, cash and firearms. Three other individuals were arrested last week during the course of the investigation. An arrest warrant will be issued today for another accused who has yet to be located.
‘The results of Operation Hamlin will have a direct impact on Lunenburg County, as it has dismantled a main supply of illicit drugs to our streets,’ says Supt. Sylvie Bourassa-Muise, RCMP District Policing Officer, Southwest Nova District. ‘Drugs have a devastating impact on our community and after today, we expect to see an immediate reduction of these drugs available locally.’
The following four individuals will be appearing at Halifax Provincial Court today at 9:30 a.m. to answer to the following charges:
Brian Anthony Gough, 47, Hammonds Plains
· Trafficking Crack Cocaine x 3
· Failure to comply with condition of undertaking / recognizance x 8
· Possession of Crack Cocaine for the Purpose of Trafficking
Alden Norman Oliver, 51, Hammonds Plains
· Trafficking Crack Cocaine x 3
· Possession of Crack Cocaine for the Purpose of Trafficking
Farron Daryl Simms, 48, Hammonds Plains
· Trafficking Crack Cocaine x 3
· Trafficking Powder Cocaine
· Possession of Crack Cocaine for the Purpose of Trafficking
Sean Robert Simms, 43, Hammonds Plains
· Trafficking Crack Cocaine x 2
The following nine individuals will be appearing at Bridgewater Provincial Court today at 9:30 a.m. to answer to the following charges:
Gavin Kyle Levy, 32, Chester Grant
· Trafficking Prescription Pills x 2
· Failure to comply with condition of undertaking / recognizance x 5
Dwayne Lea Veinotte, 37, Chester
· Trafficking Prescription Pills x 2
Kimberley Ann Lohnes, 50, East Chester
· Trafficking Prescription Pills x 3
Wade Bruce Lohnes, 45, East Chester
· Trafficking Prescription Pills x 3
· Unlawfully Producing Marijuana
Patrick Mark Lando Roberts, 20, Chester Basin
· Trafficking Cocaine
Ralph Thomas Hatt, 51, Gold River
· Trafficking Marijuana x 2
· Possession for the Purposes of Trafficking
Drake Andrew Countway, 20, Chester Basin
· Possession of Cocaine for the Purpose of Trafficking
Nicole Lee Coolen, 27, Western Shore
· Possession of Prescription Pills
Alvin Swinimer, 83, Western Shore
· Possession of Prescription Pills
Police will also be seeking an arrest warrant for Kyle Richard Young, 23, of Simms Settlement for Trafficking Cocaine and Failure to Comply with Conditions of Probation Order.
Supt. Bourassa-Muise adds ‘I also want to take this opportunity to thank all of the agencies who assisted us with this operation. We could not tackle an investigation of this magnitude without their help.’
Agencies who assisted with this investigation include the RCMP Federal Operations & Support Branch, the Drug Unit and Guns and Gangs Unit of the Integrated Criminal Investigation Division, the Shelburne Street Crime Enforcement Unit (SCEU), the Kings District SCEU (Kentville Police Services & RCMP Kings Detachment), the South Shore SCEU (Bridgewater Police Service & RCMP Lunenburg County District RCMP), and the Criminal Intelligence Services of Nova Scotia (CISNS).
The investigation is ongoing, and police anticipate making more arrests and laying additional charges.
Source: Release
