14 people face around 100 charges combined in 11-month drug trafficking investigation (4 photos)

RCMP say they have dismantled a dangerous drug lab and disrupted a drug trafficking ring following an 11-month investigation, which involved a number of sites being searched in the Halifax area late last year.

Multiple videos posted to social media on December 9 showed what appeared to be unmarked vehicles racing over grass and driving over medians near where Joseph Howe Drive passes under Highway 102.

RCMP now say two men were arrested during a traffic stop on Halifax's Elliott Street on that day after a loaded handgun was thrown out a window.

Officers recovered the firearm and say they found cocaine while searching the vehicle.

The driver, Cameron Mombourquette, and passenger, Dawid Jakub Dennisow, were both charged with multiple firearm-related offences.

Mombourquette was also charged with motor vehicle-related offences, and after the search of a Halifax home turned up a loaded firearm and ammunition, Dennisow was charged with additional firearms offences.

Police then searched 13 more locations they say were “known for drug activity throughout the HRM,” where the following items were seized:

• 3.5 kg of cocaine
• 110 kg of Benzocaine and other cutting agents
• 400 pills, including Heroin, steroids and combination codeine/caffeine tablets (ratio-Lenoltec)
• 10 firearms
• Conducted Energy Weapon
• $369,000 in cash
• three hydraulic cocaine presses
• bear spray
• drug paraphernalia
• 2 body armour
• 122 lbs of cannabis products
• 310 cannabis plants

Mounties say they also discovered four houses being used for drug processing and a clandestine lab for processing cannabis.

“The clandestine lab had tanks of highly explosive propane and butane, so the RCMP Clandestine Laboratory Team and Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency were called to safely dismantle the lab,” they said in a news release.

In total, 14 people are facing around 100 charges combined.

“This is an example of outstanding work by our officers and partners,” added Supt. Jason Popik, a federal criminal operations officer. 

“Together, we have disrupted a complex drug trafficking ring, prevented a significant quantity of dangerous and highly-addictive drugs from getting to our streets and we are holding criminals accountable for their harm to communities.”

Gary Michael Boudreau, 44, of Halifax, NS., has been charged with

• Participation in a Criminal Organization
• Commission of Offence for Criminal Organization
• Instructing Commission of Offence for Criminal Organization
• Conspiracy to Commit Indictable Offence of Trafficking Cocaine
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Cocaine
• Trafficking Cocaine
• Possession of Anything Used to Traffic in a Controlled Substance
• Laundering Proceeds of Crime
• Possession of Property Obtained by Crime
• Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm while on a Court Order not to Possess Firearm
• Possession of Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose
• Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm
• Unauthorized Possession of a Prohibited Device without Authorization: over capacity magazine
• Possession of a Firearm knowing it is Unauthorized
• Possession of a Prohibited Device knowing it is Unauthorized: over capacity magazine
• Conspiracy to Commit Indictable Offence of Unlawfully Distributing Cannabis
• Unauthorized Cultivation and Harvesting of Cannabis
• Unauthorized Possession of Cannabis for the Purpose of Selling

Jacob Thomas Cuvelier, 27, of Halifax, NS, has been charged with:

• Conspiracy to Commit Indictable Offence of Trafficking Cocaine
• Trafficking Cocaine
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Cocaine
• Laundering Proceeds of Crime
• Possession of Property Obtained by Crime

Cyril Allison Delong, 27, of Kentville, NS, has been charged with:

• Conspiracy to commit indictable offence of trafficking Cocaine
• Possession for the purpose of trafficking cocaine
• Trafficking cocaine

Dawid Jakub Dennisow, 25, of Halifax, NS, has been charged with:

• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Cocaine

Along with the following charges already laid on December 9, 2020:

• Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose x 3
• Careless use of a Firearm x 2
• Unsafe Storage of a Firearm
• Possession of a Firearm Knowing Its Possession is Unauthorized x 3
• Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm x 2
• Possession of a Prohibited Device x 4
• Possession of a Firearm Knowing Serial Number is Altered
• Occupying a motor vehicle with a Prohibited Weapon

Stephen Alexander Fleming, 39, of Bedford, NS, has been charged with:

• Laundering Proceeds of Crime
• Possession of Property Obtained by Crime
• Conspiracy to Commit Indictable Offence of Unlawfully Distributing Cannabis
• Unauthorized Cultivation and Harvesting of Cannabis
• Unauthorized Possession of Cannabis for the Purpose of Selling

Shawn Alonzo Forrestall, 41, of Pockwock, NS, has been charged with:

• Participation in Criminal Organization
• Commission of Offence for Criminal Organization
• Instructing Commission of Offence for Criminal Organization
• Conspiracy to Commit Indictable Offence of Trafficking Cocaine
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Cocaine
• Trafficking Cocaine
• Possession of Anything Used to Traffic in a Controlled Substance
• Laundering Proceeds of Crime
• Possession of Property Obtained by Crime
• Unsafe Storage Contrary to Regulation, handgun x 2
• Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm – unregistered handgun x 2
• Possession of a Firearm Knowing it is Unauthorized- unregistered handgun x 2
• Possession of a Restricted Firearm with Ammunition x 2
• Possession of Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose x 2
• Conspiracy to Commit Indictable Offence of Unlawfully Distributing Cannabis
• Unauthorized Cultivation and Harvesting of Cannabis
• Unauthorized Possession of Cannabis for the Purpose of Selling
• Unauthorized Alteration of the Chemical or Physical Properties of Cannabis

Barry Gerrard, 64, of Pope's Harbour, NS, has been charged with:

• Unauthorized Cultivation and Harvesting of Cannabis
• Unauthorized Possession of Cannabis for the Purpose of Selling
• Unauthorized Possession of Cannabis for the Purpose of Distribution

Kailey Lynn Kane, 25, of New Glasgow, NS, has been charged with:

• Trafficking Cocaine

Nicholas W. B. Macleod, 33, of Halifax, NS, has been charged with:

• Trafficking Cocaine x 2

Karam Chafic Makhoul, 29, of Williamswood, NS, has been charged with:

• Unauthorized Distribution of Cannabis
• Unauthorized Selling Cannabis
• Unauthorized Possession of Cannabis for the Purpose of Selling
• Possession of Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose (Conducted Energy Weapon)
• Unauthorized Possession of Restricted Weapon (Conducted Energy Weapon)
• Possession of a Weapon Knowing its Possession is Unauthorized (Conducted Energy Weapon)

Cameron Mombourquette, 23, of Bedford, NS, has been charged with:

• Participation in a Criminal Organization
• Commission of Offence for Criminal Organization
• Instructing Commission of Offence for Criminal Organization
• Conspiracy to Commit Indictable Offence of Trafficking Cocaine
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Cocaine
• Trafficking Cocaine
• Trafficking MDMA
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Heroin
• Possession of anything used to Traffic in a Controlled Substance
• Weapons Trafficking
• Possession for the Purpose of Weapons Trafficking
• Laundering Proceeds of Crime
• Possession of Property Obtained by Crime
• Conspiracy to Commit Indictable Offence of Unlawfully Distributing Cannabis
• Unauthorized Possession of Cannabis for the Purpose of Selling

Along with the following charges already laid on December 9, 2020:

• Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose
• Careless use of a Firearm
• Possession of a Prohibited Device
• Possession of a Firearm Knowing its Possession is Unauthorized x 2
• Possession of a Firearm knowing Serial Number is Altered
• Driving with a Prohibited Weapon
• Occupying a Motor Vehicle with a Prohibited Weapon
• Dangerous Driving
• Flight from Police

Bradley John Schofield, 44, of Tantallon, NS, has been charged with:

• Conspiracy to Commit Indictable Offence of Unlawfully Distributing Cannabis
• Unauthorized Cultivation and Harvesting of Cannabis
• Unauthorized Possession of Cannabis for the Purpose of Selling

Christian Alexander Strickland, 35, of Halifax, NS, has been charged with:

• Fraud over $ 5,000
• Public Mischief over $ 5,000
• Unauthorized Cultivation and Harvesting of Cannabis
• Unauthorized Possession of Cannabis for the Purpose of Selling
• Unauthorized Possession of Cannabis for the Purpose of Distribution

Samer Zakhour, 34, of Hammonds Plains, NS, has been charged with:

• Unauthorized Cultivation and Harvesting of Cannabis
• Unauthorized Possession of Cannabis for the Purpose of Selling
• Unauthorized Possession of Cannabis for the Purpose of Distribution

They are all scheduled to appear in Halifax Provincial Court on September 8.

The investigation continues.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Nova Scotia RCMP Federal Serious and Organized Crime Unit at 902-720-5150 or submit an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers.