A major police operation in eastern Ontario and Quebec has significantly reduced the amount of fentanyl expected to reach communities in eastern Ontario, authorities said Tuesday.
The Ontario Provincial Police said about 20 kilograms of suspected fentanyl — equivalent to roughly 200,000 potentially lethal street doses — were seized as part of a months-long investigation targeting drug-trafficking networks operating in Cornwall and Montreal.
Police say the seizure will disrupt the local supply of the highly potent opioid across eastern Ontario, including the Ottawa Valley, where fentanyl has been a key driver of overdose deaths.
The investigation, known as Project REDLINE, began in November 2025 and focused on organized criminal activity in Cornwall and Montreal. Investigators identified four separate networks involved in trafficking fentanyl, cocaine and counterfeit prescription drugs.
In addition to fentanyl, officers seized about 14 kilograms of suspected cocaine and roughly 80,000 counterfeit prescription tablets, with a combined estimated street value of more than $4.1 million.
The Sûreté du Québec joined the probe as it expanded across provincial boundaries. Police say one of the trafficking networks was linked to an individual already in custody at a Montreal-area correctional facility.
Search warrants were executed on April 16 at multiple residences in Cornwall and Montreal, involving several specialized police units and local forces, including the Cornwall Police Service and Montreal police.
Thirteen people have been charged with a total of 115 offences under the Criminal Code and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.
Police say the origin of the seized fentanyl and cocaine remains under investigation, but early evidence suggests the drugs were intended for distribution within Canada.
Authorities are urging anyone with information about drug trafficking to contact police or Crime Stoppers.
