Winnipeg Police Announce Project Puma After 33 Arrests, 525 Kilograms Seized

Winnipeg police said project puma produced the largest drug bust in Manitoba history, with 33 arrests and 525 kilograms of cocaine, fentanyl and other substances seized after a two-year operation. The case now moves to the charges already laid against people in Manitoba, Edmonton and Brantford, Ontario.

Cam Mackid on Project Puma

Deputy chief Cam Mackid said the force saw the impact of the drug trade every day. “We all see the crippling impact of the drug trade on a daily basis.” He added: “Homicides, gun and gang violence, counter-exploitation, property crime, retail theft. All of these crime categories are directly impacted by the drug trade.”

The operation involved police forces in Manitoba, Ontario and Alberta and targeted major drug networks. Police said suspects were alleged to have ties to the Hells Angels and Mexican drug cartels, and that drugs were transported from the United States in commercial transport trucks before being stored primarily in Ontario and Alberta and brought to Manitoba.

Warrants and charges

Police said the investigation included more than 200 warrants and production orders. They laid 174 charges and said warrants remain out for two other men from Brantford. Ontario Provincial Police in the Fort Frances and Dryden areas arrested another four people and seized 26 kilograms of cocaine.

Seven suspects have already pleaded guilty, and seven have been sentenced to between three and 16 years in prison. For people watching the case, that means Project Puma has already moved beyond the arrest phase and into prosecutions and sentencing while the wider file remains active.