Through a combination of 26 search warrants and more than 150 officers, 27 people have been arrested and charged with drug and criminal-related offences in the greater Toronto area.
The arrests Wednesday were part of a co-ordinated effort between Toronto, Hamilton, Belleville, York and Halton police, and resulted in the seizure of drugs worth an estimated $1.4-million dollars.
The raids were part of Project Decepticon, named for the Transformers franchise logo that was stamped on some of the 23,330 ecstasy pills seized.
Along with the pills, estimated to have a street value of nearly a half-million dollars, 28 grams of crack, 54 grams of cocaine, 230 grams of hashish and 85 pounds of marijuana were seized. Two marijuana grow operations were also dismantled as part of the operation.
Six cars, two handguns, numerous cellphones and over $100,000 in Canadian currency and $5,000 in U.S. bills were also confiscated.
Project Decepticon started in August, when police began a small drug trafficking investigation in the Scarborough area. The operation quickly spread as investigators found that dealers were bringing in drugs from surrounding areas like Belleville, Hamilton, York and Durham as supplies ran low. Toronto Drug Squad Staff Inspector Randy Franks told reporters that there was no kingpin for the group.
While these drugs were being sold in the Toronto area, they were also being exported into the United States, police say.