Investigators from the York Regional Police Hold Up Unit (HUU) have concluded Project Skyfall, a year-long investigation resulting in 17 people charged, three firearms recovered and more than $14 million of illegal drugs seized.
On December 24, 2023, York Regional Police received a report of a home invasion in progress at a residence in the area of Forest Drive and Harmonia Crescent, in Vaughan. Three masked suspects forced entry into the home, held the occupants at gunpoint and assaulted them while making demands for money. Responding officers encountered three suspects and during the interaction, an officer discharged their firearm multiple times. One suspect was taken into custody and two fled the scene. A loaded firearm was dropped by one of the suspects and seized. No one was seriously injured.
The HUU continued the investigation and unraveled a larger criminal network that was actively planning home invasions, armed robberies and trafficking drugs. With the assistance of the Toronto Police Service and Peel Regional Police, investigators were able to conduct a large-scale investigation that culminated with 17 suspects arrested and 83 charges laid. Six of these suspects were on bail or another forms of release at the time of their arrests, four were bound by weapons prohibition orders and one suspect was accessing the databanks of the Ministry of Transportation to benefit the criminal network.
Officers executed 48 search warrants, recovered two handguns, one shotgun and seized drugs including cocaine, ketamine, methamphetamine, and hundreds of bottles of pills intended to be sold as Oxycodone with a street value of over $14,400,000.
For a list of charges, click here.
“I am proud of the excellent work and the dedication our investigators displayed throughout this lengthy investigation,” states Police Chief Jim MacSween. “Investigators have highlighted the multifaceted and complex nature of violent and profit driven crime.”
The successful completion of this lengthy investigation was made possible through funding provided by the Ontario Government, Ministry of the Solicitor General and the Criminal Intelligence Service Ontario, which supported this investigation.
“Our government is proud to support our police officers in getting guns and drugs off our streets,” states the Honourable Michael Kerzner, the Solicitor General of Ontario. “We continue to fund projects like this to keep our communities safe. Public safety remains our government’s priority morning, noon and night.”
Anyone with information is asked to call the York Regional Police Hold Up Squad at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 6630, or contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS, or leave an anonymous tip online at www.1800222tips.com.
Visit our Community Safety Data Portal for complete stats and crime data within York Region. Crime prevention is our shared responsibility. Learn more about Operation Streetview.
Prepared by: Constable James Dickson
23-428886
December 10, 2024
