24 arrested, 130 charges in major NS drug busts: RCMP - GlobalNews.ca

HALIFAX - A 13-month investigation in Nova Scotia has lead to 24 arrests and more than 130 charges, RCMP said.

The arrests, made throughout Cape Breton and Antigonish County, marked the end of anti-drug trafficking Operation HAKON.

Investigators seized large quantities of marijuana, hash and cocaine, as well as several vehicles and firearms -- one of which was an AK-47.

(See the full list of drugs and weapons seized below)

With the drug busts occurring again in rural areas, Insp. John Ryan said police made good on its word to track down people operating in the drug trade outside major cities.

"As I said a few weeks ago, these criminals thought they could fly under the radar because they were living and conducting criminal activity in smaller communities," he said. "The RCMP kept good on our promise to criminals: to find you, arrest you, seize your weapons and drugs, and bring you before the courts."

He said the 24 people arrested were "beyond you street-level drug dealers."

Supt. Darrell Beaton said the hard work of those who worked on Operation HAKON will help stop the flow of drugs into communities.
"Today's charges are the result of a lot of a lot of hard work," Beaton said.

Police said the accused (see below) will appear in court at various dates and a number have already appeared in either Port Hawkesbury Provincial Court and/or Sydney Provincial Court.

The RCMP carried out the operation along with members of the Sydney Federal Operations Support Unit, Combined Forces Intelligence Unit, Inverness and Victoria County RCMP detachments, Truro and Halifax Federal Drug sections and the Inverness and Antigonish Street Crime Enforcement Units.

Charges under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and Criminal Code against the following people include:

Shandy Aucoin, 27-years-old, Cheticamp, NS
Conspiracy to Traffic in Cocaine, Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking in Cocaine, Trafficking in Cocaine

Wendolynne Avery, 39-years-old, Boularderie, NS
Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking in Cannabis Marihuana, Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking in Cannabis Resin, Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking in Cocaine, Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking in Ecstasy, Possession of a Prohibited Firearm (x2), Possession of a Restricted Firearm, Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm (x3), Unauthorized Possession of a Prohibited Device, Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose (x3), Unsafe Storage of a Firearm (x5)

Eugene Basker, 62-years-old, Inverness, NS
Conspiracy to Traffic in Cocaine, Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking in Cocaine, Trafficking in Cocaine

Jason Blinkhorn, 35-years-old, Boularderie, NS
Conspiracy to Traffic in Cannabis Marihuana, Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking in Cannabis Marihuana (x2), Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking in Cannabis Resin, Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking in Cocaine, Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking in Ecstasy, Possession of a Prohibited Firearm (x2), Possession of a Restricted Firearm, Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm (x3), Unauthorized Possession of a Prohibited Device, Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose (x3), Unsafe Storage of a Firearm (x5)

William Brady, 62-years-old, Cape George, NS
Conspiracy to Traffic in Cannabis Marihuana, Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking in Cannabis Marihuana (x2), Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking in Cannabis Resin (x2), Trafficking in Cannabis Marihuana, Trafficking in Cannabis Resin, Unlawful Production of Marihuana

Collette Brady, 35-years-old, Cape George, NS
Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking in Cannabis Marihuana, Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking in Cannabis Resin, Unlawful Production of Marihuana

Melissa Brown, 30-years-old, Cheticamp, NS
Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking in Cocaine (x2), Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking in Cannibis Marihuana, Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm, Resisting Arrest, Obstruction of Justice, Evading Police

Travis Camus, 29-years-old, Petit Etang, NS
Conspiracy to Traffic in Cocaine, Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking in Cocaine, Trafficking in Cocaine

Helen Camus, 50-years-old, Petit Etang, NS
Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking in Cocaine, Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking in Cannabis Resin

Mackenzie Camus, 24-years-old, Petit Etang, NS
Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking in Cocaine

Abraham (Wayne) Camus, 54-years-old, Petit Etang, NS
Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking in Cocaine, Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking in Cannabis Resin

Gabriel Chiasson, 36-years-old, Petit Etang, NS
Conspiracy to Traffic in Cocaine, Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking in Cocaine, Trafficking in Cocaine

Jason Chiasson, 33-years-old, Petit Etang, NS
Trafficking in Cocaine

Kevin Chisholm, 36-years-old, New Glasgow, NS
Conspiracy to Traffic in Cocaine, Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking, Trafficking in Cocaine, Trafficking in Cocaine

Donald Delaney, 52-years-old, Drummondville, Quebec
Conspiracy to Traffic in Cocaine, Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking in Cocaine

Scott Donaldson, 51-years-old, Barrington Passage, NS
Conspiracy to Traffic in Cocaine, Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking in Cocaine, Trafficking in Cocaine

Drugs seized (approximately):

25 kg of marihuana;
1.5 kg of cocaine;
1 kg of hash oil;
1 kg of hash; and
Over 100 marihuana plants.
Weapons (17 firearms and related weapons, body armour):
AK47 assault rifle;
22 calibre handgun;
22 calibre rifles x 5;
12 gauge shot guns x 5;
20 gauge shot gun;
410 gauge shot guns x 3;
30-30 calibre rifle;
Recurve bow and arrows;
Bear spray;
Ammunition; and
Bullet-proof vest.

Vehicles seized:

2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee;
2005 Black BMW M3;
2012 Dodge Ram Laramie Longhorn Crew Cab;
2010 Dodge Ram Truck, 2500 series;
2008 Pontiac G-6;
2007 Buick Allure; and
2012 Rotax, 800R series Skidoo

Cash seized:

Approximately $55,000