Ontario police have struck a historic blow against the opioid crisis, dismantling a powerful drug trafficking network and seizing a record-breaking 38 kilograms of fentanyl—enough to kill a small city. The sweeping raids under Project GOLDEN ended with 15 arrests, 140 charges, and $5.4 million in deadly drugs and weapons off the streets.
Hamilton, ON – A year-long investigation into a sophisticated drug network has delivered the largest fentanyl seizure in Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) history, shutting down an operation authority say was flooding southern Ontario with deadly opioids.
Launched in July 2024, Project GOLDEN grew from a local probe into a full-scale, multi-jurisdictional offensive involving the OPP, RCMP, Hamilton Police, Toronto Police, Peel, Halton, and York Regional Police. On May 28, 2025, officers executed raids at 16 homes and businesses across seven cities, backed by tactical and forensic teams.
The results stunned even veteran officers:
- 38 kg of fentanyl (estimated 380,000 street doses)
- 19.5 kg of methamphetamine
- 5.5 kg of cocaine
- Firearms, brass knuckles, and cash totaling $121,600
- Vehicles seized as crime-related property
“This is the largest seizure of fentanyl in OPP history,” confirmed OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique, crediting the operation with saving countless lives. Police stressed the lethal potential of the drugs, noting the fentanyl alone could have fueled a wave of overdoses capable of wiping out an entire community.
Hamilton Police Superintendent Marty Schulenberg said Project GOLDEN “has taken a significant amount of deadly fentanyl and illegal firearms off Hamilton’s streets protecting families and making our neighbourhoods safer.”
The RCMP echoed that the success was built on unprecedented teamwork. “This joint effort has disrupted a serious drug trafficking ring in southern Ontario,” said Assistant Commissioner Matt Peggs. “We will continue working together to protect our communities.”
Investigators believe much of Ontario’s illicit fentanyl comes from imports and clandestine domestic labs. With Project GOLDEN, they say one of the province’s biggest supply chains has been dismantled marking a turning point in the fight against organized crime and the opioid epidemic.
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