In a record-breaking drug bust, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) has seized 38 kilograms of suspected fentanyl — the largest amount ever confiscated by the force. The seizure was part of a sweeping 11-month investigation called Project GOLDEN, which targeted a major drug trafficking network in southwestern Ontario.
The operation led to 140 charges against 15 people under the Criminal Code and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Police also seized 19.5 kg of methamphetamine, 5.5 kg of cocaine, smaller amounts of MDMA and psilocybin, three firearms, brass knuckles, $121,600 in cash, and three vehicles.
Launched in July 2024 by the London OPP’s Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau, the investigation began in Norfolk County and expanded across multiple jurisdictions. In November, the case was handed to the OPP’s provincial enforcement teams, with support from Hamilton Police, RCMP, and other major forces across Ontario.
On May 28, officers executed search warrants at 16 locations and on eight vehicles in communities including Oxford, Norfolk, Hamilton, Mississauga, York Region, Burlington, and Toronto.
The drugs seized are estimated to be worth $5.4 million on the street. The fentanyl alone could produce about 380,000 street-level doses — enough to put an entire city at risk, police warned.
OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique said: “this record-breaking seizure would not have been possible without the dedication of our members and partner agencies. We will continue to work closely with our judicial partners to ensure that offenders face the consequences of their actions.”
The investigation into the source of the fentanyl is still ongoing.
Written by Jeremy Hall