(PEMBROKE, ON) - On the morning of December 2, 2021, members of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) executed eight Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) search warrants at several locations in the City of Pembroke, Renfrew and Arnprior. The search warrants were executed after a several month long investigation by the Upper Ottawa Valley OPP's Community Street Crime Unit (CSCU) dubbed Project NIELD.
The project focused on drug trafficking in the City of Pembroke. Suspected fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, crystal methamphetamines, and psilocybin were amongst the drugs seized and thousands of dollars in cash was also seized as proceeds of crime. Conducted Energy Weapons (CEW) and pepper spray was seized along with ammunition, rifles and replica pistols. A significant quantity of cellular phones were seized along with items associated to the sale and distribution of illegal drugs such as scales and debt lists.
Additional arrests were recently made as a result of Project NIELD.
Zeth Robert ROBINSON, age 25 of Pembroke, was arrested on December 12, 2021 and charged with the following CC and CDSA offences:
- Traffic in a schedule I substance - crystal methamphetamine
- Traffic in a schedule I substance - cocaine
- Possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime under $5000 - two counts
The accused was held for a bail hearing and remains in custody until their next appearance at the Ontario Court of Justice in Pembroke on December 16, 2021.
Diane Margaret MORIARITY, age 58 of Pembroke, was arrested on December 14, 2021 and charged with the following CC and CDSA offences:
- Traffic in a schedule I substance - cocaine - two counts
- Possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime under $5000 - two counts
- Failure to comply with release order
The accused was held for a bail hearing and subsequently released to attend the Ontario Court of Justice in Pembroke on January 11, 2022.
Thus far police have arrested 24 individuals and laid approximately 200 charges as a result of Project NIELD.
Further arrests and charges are expected. Co-operation from several entities within the OPP helped bring the investigation to a successful conclusion. Assisting with the investigation were members of OPP's East Region CSCU teams, East Region and Northeast Region Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau (OCEB), Northeast Region CSCU, Biker Enforcement Unit (BEU), Provincial Asset Forfeiture Unit (PAFU), Repeat Offender Parole Enforcement (ROPE) Team, Tactics and Rescue Unit (TRU), Emergency Response Team (ERT), K9, Regional Support Team (RST), Contraband Tobacco Enforcement Team (CTET), Offender Transport Unit (OTU), Renfrew County Crime Unit and members of the Upper Ottawa Valley and Renfrew OPP Detachments.