Police disrupt crime group engaged in drug and human trafficking

The RCMP and RNC disrupted what is being described as a drug and human trafficking organization.

Project Badminton was a 30-month investigation that, "disrupted a drug trafficking network that funnelled cocaine and other drugs from British Columbia and Ontario into Newfoundland and Labrador, particularly to the West Coast and Northern Peninsula," said RCMP Inspector Thoms.

Four residents of St. John's were arrested and face multiple criminal charges.

Dominic Delisle, aged 35, is charged with transportation for the purpose of exploitation, exercising control, direction or influence for the purpose of exploitation, receiving financial or other material benefit, obtained by or derived directly or indirectly from trafficking in persons, and receiving financial benefit from sexual services.

Delisle also faces charges of unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of a weapon obtained by the commission of an offence, possession of a prohibited or restricted firearm with ammunition without authorization of licence, and unlawful possession of a firearm or restricted weapon while prohibited.

Erik Mello, aged 24, is facing a number of charges including unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of a weapon obtained by the commission of an offence and possession of a prohibited or restricted firearm with ammunition without authorization of licence.

Further charges are expected for both Delisle and Mello.

Two other males face charges including trafficking cocaine, conspiracy to traffick cocaine, and possession for the purpose of trafficking cocaine, oxycodone, hydromorphone and fentanyl.

Police seized in excess of five kilograms of cocaine, 3000 counterfeit Oxycodone pills laced with Fentanyl and THC, 320 Supeudol (Oxycodone) pills, 60 Dilaudid pills, $26,000 cash, 16 pounds of cannabis, and a loaded semi-automatic restricted handgun with an extended magazine.