On Monday, May 13, RCMP St. John's Federal Serious and Organized Crime Unit, with the assistance of the RCMP Emergency Response Team, executed a search warrant at a St. John's residence after police seized three kilograms of cocaine originating in Montreal and destined for that location. The search resulted in the largest seizure of crystal methamphetamine in the history of Newfoundland and Labrador, in addition to multiple firearms, cash, vehicles, body armour and other items (see complete list of items seized in Backgrounder).
RCMP Staff Sergeant Stefan Thoms provided details today on the results of the investigation and its significance.
"Project Blowfish resulted in the seizure of three kilograms of cocaine, 350 grams of crystal methamphetamine – the largest amount of this drug ever seized in the province, various other controlled substances, multiple firearms, including two loaded shotguns, and seven sets of body armour," said Staff Sergeant Thoms, of the RCMP St. John's Federal Serious and Organized Crime Unit. "This was a significant seizure. Just weeks ago, we announced details of the seizure of nine kilograms of cocaine as a result of Project Bowman. These are large amounts of cocaine coming into our province within a short period of time – undoubtedly, organized crime groups are behind these shipments. At this point, we have not determined any linkages between the two, but our investigation is ongoing. A priority of the Federal Serious and Organized Crime Unit is the disruption of inter-jurisdictional criminal networks that are responsible for this scale of drug trafficking. While we have intercepted, in these two investigations, a total of 12 kilograms of cocaine and other drugs that were headed for the streets of the province, we know more are likely to follow. We are dedicated to continuing our work to disrupt organized crime and its drug trafficking networks at the highest level, and will lay charges wherever appropriate."
Arrested at the St. John's residence were Tyler Nickerson Butler, 25 years old, and Shae O'Keefe, 21 years old, both of St. John's, NL. Butler and O'Keefe were charged in St. John's Provincial Court on May 14 with the following offences:
- Six counts each of Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking;
- One count each of Trafficking Cocaine;
- One count each of Illicit Distribution of Cannabis;
- Three counts each of Careless Storage of a Firearm.
Both accused have been released on bail, with multiple conditions, with the next court appearance set for June 26, 2019. Further investigation is being conducted with a view to identifying additional charges and possible other suspects.
It is normally the case that cocaine at the multi-kilogram level gets diluted several times while being prepared for use at the street level. The total street value for all types of drugs seized in Project Blowfish is in the range of $844,000 to $1,035,000.
The Federal Serious and Organized Crime Unit for RCMP Newfoundland and Labrador targets criminal activity involving national security, transnational and serious organized crime and cyber crime throughout the entire province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
BACKGROUNDER
RCMP NL Project Blowfish resulted in the seizure of the following:
- Three kilograms of cocaine
- 350 grams of crystal methamphetamine
- 300 blotters of LSD
- 28 grams of molly (ecstasy)
- 120 oxycodone pills
- 454 grams of psylocibin (mushrooms)
- 120 grams of hashish
- Fifteen pounds of cannabis marihuana
- Hundreds of vials of various steroids
- $90,600 cash
- Seven sets of body armour
- Six firearms including a loaded Kel-Tec tactical shotgun, a loaded pump action shotgun, a second pump action shotgun, a .22 calibre rifle and two handguns
- Three vehicles including a motorcycle, SUV and high end sports car
- High end jewelery
- Various items related to the sale and distribution of drugs