A major network of firearms and narcotics traffickers who sold their goods in the metropolis has been dismantled in recent days by the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM). The suspects targeted by the investigation would have acted in particular as arms suppliers to certain members of Montreal street gangs.

Five suspects were arrested in connection with this operation. They are four men aged between 26 and 42, as well as a 28-year-old woman. They were apprehended between May 26 and June 21.

During the searches, the police seized eight firearms – seven handguns and an AR-15 assault rifle, 46 kg of crystal meth, nearly 170,000 methamphetamine tablets, 36 kg of cannabis and an impressive sum of $1.3 million in cash.

The searches took place in seven residences and four vehicles in the cities of Montreal, Laval, Mirabel, Brossard, Longueuil, Toronto and Richmond Hill.

Two of the pinned suspects, Sami Hashemi and Rudy Louis Étienne, remained detained following their appearance. The others were released pending further legal proceedings.

According to the authorities, the dismantled criminal network was controlled from Montreal. The suspects pinned were also well known to police circles.