Six people arrested in undercover investigation 'Project Water Road'

OPP News Release

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BLIND RIVER – On Thursday July 21, 2011 six people were arrested and three search warrants were executed at locations in the East Algoma District as part of an undercover police investigation dubbed “Project Water Road”. Over a two month period police successfully infiltrated a drug subculture in the areas from Blind River to Thessalon Ontario.

The investigation lead by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau (OCEB) was assisted by members of the RCMP, the Anishinabek Police Service and the OPP Aboriginal Issues Unit.

The investigation, which focused on street level drug dealers from Blind River, Thessalon First Nation and the town of Thessalon, successfully purchased quantities of marihuana and Oxycodone.

During the Search warrants on July 21, 2011, police seized $2,800 in suspected cocaine, $64,260 worth of marihuana, $3,350 worth of Oxycodone, $4,920 worth of Codeine, $,8480 worth of Morphine tablets, and over $6,100 cash, firearms, computers and other drug related paraphernalia.

The following people have been arrested and held for bail in Sault Ste Marie on July 22, 2011.

1. Paul Arthur WABIGWAN, age 46 of Thessalon First Nation is charged with:
• Trafficking of marihuana
• Production of Marihuana
• Possession of Marihuana for the Purposes of Trafficking
• Possession of Cocaine for the Purposes of Trafficking
• Possession of Oxycodone for the Purposes of Trafficking
• Possession of Cannabis Resin for the Purposes of Trafficking
• Possession of Codeine for the Purposes of Trafficking
• Possession of Methylphenidate for the Purposes of Trafficking
• Possession of Lorazepam for the Purposes of Trafficking
• Possession of Morphine for the Purposes of Trafficking
• Possession of Property obtained by crime x 5

2. Eve Lisa BRITT NICHOLSON, age 37 of Thessalon First Nation is charged with:
• Trafficking marihuana x 3
• Trafficking Oxycodone x 2
• Production of Marihuana
• Possession of Marihuana for the Purposes of Trafficking
• Possession of Cocaine for the Purposes of Trafficking
• Possession of Oxycodone for the Purposes of Trafficking
• Possession of Cannabis Resin for the Purposes of Trafficking
• Possession of Codeine for the Purposes of Trafficking
• Possession of Methylphenidate for the Purposes of Trafficking
• Possession of Lorazepam for the Purposes of Trafficking
• Possession of Morphine for the Purposes of Trafficking
• Possession of Property obtained by crime x 8

3. Matthew Donald SIEMENS, age 24 of Thessalon is charged with:
• Trafficking Marihuana x 3
• Possession of Codeine
• Possession of Property Obtained by crime x 3

4. Travis Garnet CORLEY, age 21 of Thessalon is charged with:
• Trafficking marihuana
• Possession of marihuana
• Fail to Comply with Undertaking

5. Gregory Lee HAWKINS, age 37 of Blind River is charged with:
• Trafficking Marihuana x 3
• Possession of Marihuana for the Purposes of Trafficking
• Possession of Property obtained by crime x 4

In addition, the following person was charged and released for court in Blind River on September 1, 2011.

6.Jeremy Mickey PARKER, age 24 of Blind River is charged with
• Possession of Marihuana for the Purposes of Trafficking
• Possession of Marihuana

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