Two Brampton Men Charged in Gun Smuggling Investigation

Published November 7, 2018 at 10:21 pm

A number of GTA residents, including two from Brampton, are facing charges in connection with a drug smuggling investigation.

A number of GTA residents, including two from Brampton, are facing charges in connection with a drug smuggling investigation.

Toronto police say that in March 2018, the service’s Integrated Gun & Gang Task Force – Firearms Enforcement Unit and Intelligence Services started Project Belair. Police say the investigation took several months and was done in partnership with the US Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).

Police allege that several individuals were involved in illicit handgun sales in Toronto and the GTA and that the guns were being smuggled into Canada and then sold illegally.

Police say that on Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018 and Thursday, Nov. 1, 2018, 13 search warrants were executed in Toronto, Peel Region and Durham Region.

Police have arrested and charged 52-year-old Brampton man Alan Cunningham and 52-year-old Brampton man Colin Levy with a range of offences. Cunningham has been charged with trafficking firearms, trafficking ammunition, possession of proceeds of crime and more. Levy has been charged with possession of a prohibited firearm, careless storage of a firearm, possession of a firearm obtained by crime and more.

Police also charged 41-year-old Ajax man William Data with multiple firearm-related offences.

Police also allege that on Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018, a woman who was crossing the border via the Peace Bridge in Fort Erie was found with 25 handguns stored in the gas tank of her vehicle.

Police say 50-year-old Toronto woman Rima Mansour was charged with 25 counts of importing illegal firearms and other gun-related offences.

In total, investigators allege they have seized 30 firearms, approximately 13 kilograms of cannabis, 136 rounds of ammunition, approximately 280 grams of cocaine and approximately $45,000.

The accused have or will appear in court this week.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-2500.

All images courtesy of Toronto Police Service

insauga's Editorial Standards and Policies advertising