THUNDER BAY - Three people charged in connection with the city’s largest fentanyl bust in police service history are believed to be one of many residences fuelling drug houses, commonly known as trap houses, across the city.
The investigation into a Wednesday night drug bust started last fall with police focusing at an address in the 500-block of Van Norman Street.
Police seized a large quantity of suspected fentanyl, crack cocaine, cocaine, approximately $150,000 in cash, a handgun and drug trafficking paraphernalia. The total estimated street value of the drugs seized amounted to nearly $400,000, police said.
Two women and one man have all been charged in connection to the drug seizure.
Didier Denzel Kongolo, 21, Verdiana Lama, 20, and Janneka Lauren Martinez, 24, all remain in custody and face a raft of firearm and drug trafficking offences.
Police said on Thursday, June 4, this drug seizure will have an impact on the local drug trade considering the large number of drugs seized.
“This was a significant one because this person is absolutely one of the people believed to be feeding the trap houses up here in the city,” Det.-Insp. John Fennell of the Thunder Bay Police Service said on Thursday.
Through investigations, police say they will be able to determine what each individual’s involvement was with respect to the drug-supply house.
“The evidence will end up showing this person was distributing amongst other places to be able to sell,” he said.
A handgun was also seized by police.
“Any firearms that are not legally purchased through proper channels is always a concern, we never know who has them,” Det.-Sgt. Dan Irwin said, who heads the Thunder Bay Police Service intelligence unit.
Fennell also spoke of the issues southern Ontario residents bring to the community with respect to drug trafficking.
“It is long well known it is coming from the GTA area,” he said. “Unfortunately we take these guys down, there are three more people to fill their spots so the investigation begins all over again.”
Irwin also clarified that despite the significant seizure of drugs at this residence, there are definitely more out there.
“There is not an exact number but I am going to say there is many and we are aware and we are working on them and we have a lot of rules to follow as police and continue to look at all these places and investigate,” he said, adding several investigations into other locations are also underway.
With a high addiction rate in the city, Fennell explained how the recent drug seizure also prevents potential overdoses and deaths in the community.
“Fentanyl has been one of the concerns in our city in regards to the purple fentanyl and now blue fentanyl because of the overdoses,” he said. “So this team also prevented deaths and overdoses by their diligence.”
Irwin also reminds the public if someone has a concern in their neighbourhood regarding drug trafficking to call the Thunder Bay Police Service.
“We want the message out there to these guys and girls that are coming from the GTA we are watching them."
