(FORT FRANCES, ON) – A significant law enforcement operation has led to the apprehension of two individuals on various drug-related charges in Fort Frances.
The Ontario Provincial Police’s Rainy River District Detachment, aided by the Community Street Crime Unit, the Emergency Response Team, the Kenora Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau, and the Treaty Three Police Service Drug Enforcement Unit, conducted a search on January 24, 2024. The search, which took place in a residential area on Osborne Street and involved a vehicle associated with the investigation, was part of a Controlled Drugs and Substances Act warrant execution.
The operation culminated in the detention of two suspects and the confiscation of a substantial amount of suspected illegal drugs, including cocaine, crack cocaine, oxycodone, fentanyl, and morphine. Law enforcement also seized an estimated $30,000 in funds related to drug transactions, along with paraphernalia connected to drug distribution. The total street value of the seized substances and cash is believed to exceed $500,000.
The individuals arrested are identified as Devon Brumble, a 30-year-old from East York, and Justine Chiefson, a 33-year-old resident of Fort Frances. Charges against Brumble include possession of a Schedule I substance with intent to traffic across five counts, possession of crime proceeds over $5,000, and obstruction of a peace officer. Chiefson faces five counts of possession of a Schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking.
Both accused are due to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Fort Frances on January 25, 2024, to respond to the charges filed against them.
The authorities urge anyone with information related to illegal drug possession or trafficking to contact the OPP immediately at 1-888-310-1122. For those wishing to provide information anonymously, Crime Stoppers can be reached at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).
