THUNDER BAY - Thunder Bay police arrested seven people and laid multiple drug-related charges after responding to reports of possible forcible confinement at a city motel on Thursday.
On Friday, Oct. 2, seven individuals appeared in court and were each charged with one count of possession of fentanyl for the purpose of trafficking and one count of possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.
Kurtis Brian Ginter, 25, Sean Brent Ginter, 27, Isaac Adje Ankamah, 21, Adam Karras Brady, 25, Ashley Norissa Lawson, 25 and a 17-year-old youth from Toronto all remain custody and are scheduled to return to court next Monday and Tuesday for either bail planning or to work on retaining counsel.
Joanna Anderson, 24, was also charged but was released to a surety with a promise to pay $2,000 with no deposit. Anderson must reside with her surety in Kasabonika First Nation. Some of her release conditions require her to stay away from drugs and weapons. She must leave the city of Thunder Bay by Sunday, Oct. 4 and can only return except for court purposes.
Justice of the Peace Anna Gibbon also imposed a non-communication order on all co-accused which prevents them from communicating with each other in any way.
Police say officers were dispatched to a hotel on Memorial Avenue just before noon on Thursday, Oct. 1, following complaints of the possible forcible confinement of a woman, according to a Thunder Bay Police media release.
Officers learned the victim was at another location and in distress which led officers to a Limbrick Street residence in the 100th block.
According to the release, police spoke with a man and during that interaction, he told police the woman was inside the home where police located and confirmed her safety. While police were speaking to the man officers saw drugs being thrown from a nearby window.
An investigation resulted in police seizing cocaine and fentanyl valued at nearly $39,000.
