Police seize several guns, $8.5M in drugs through Project SAFE

This year, London, Ont. has seen a rise in shootings and emerging issues surrounding gun violence.

On Thursday morning, members of the London Police Service (LPS) and external agencies addressed these concerns at a press conference where they offered results from a months-long project that ended with hundreds of charges laid and dozens of guns being taken off the streets.

As of July 27, 2023, London has had a total of 20 shootings this year. Fourteen have been solved with charges laid, the rest remain active investigations, according to Detective Inspector Chris Churney with LPS.

“We treat each shooting like a potential homicide,” he said. “Because that is the very real danger each time a criminal fires their gun.”

Project SAFE (Shooting And Firearms Enforcement) began in April when officers engaged in a multi-jurisdictional initiative throughout Ontario and in the United States where they investigated and seized illegal firearms from criminal organizations that profited from smuggling handguns into Canada.

“Illegally trafficked guns are making their way into Canada and into our communities through sophisticated and organized channels,” said London Police Chief Thai Truong.

There were 24 search warrants were executed in London with another search warrant in Sudbury and Hamilton.

From April to July, police seized over $8.5 million worth of drugs, including fentanyl, crack cocaine, cocaine, psilocybin, MDMA, methamphetamine, hydromorphone, and OxyContin. In addition, they seized a total of 26 guns, including 22 handguns and four long guns.

From April- July of 2023, police seized a total of 26 guns, including 22 handguns and four long guns. Some were shown on display at a press conference on July 27, 2023. (Jenn Basa/CTV News London)

In relation to the investigations, 70 people were charged with a combined 550 charges.

$8.3 million of seizures came from a large-scale illegal cannabis lab on Commissioners Road East that occurred back in April. Churney said their officers led that investigation where they found drugs, weapons, and ammunition.

“We must often weigh the risks of prolonged investigations that may yield significant seizures at the end against the immediate public safety aspect of having known firearm offenders out in our communities with access to guns,” said Churney.

“People see a shooting on our streets and they say ‘What are the police doing about it?’” said London Mayor Josh Morgan. “Often that work happens behind the scenes 24-7 undercover. So days like today, it’s important for me as mayor to be here to show the public that this work is happening, that its supported.”

Though Project SAFE was successful in seizing several illegal firearms, police said the work will continue to prevent further gun violence in our communities.

Throughout their investigations, London police worked with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), Greater Sudbury Police Service, Hamilton Police Service, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Correctional Service of Canada, and the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Center of Canada (FINTRAC).