(THUNDER BAY, ON) A resident of East Gwillimbury and three others are facing charges under the Criminal Code (CC) and Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) after nearly two kilograms of suspected cocaine was seized in connection with a drug trafficking investigation in Thunder Bay.
On December 10, 2024, three search warrants were executed at residences in Thunder Bay and Kakabeka Falls by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP)-led Provincial Joint Forces Guns and Gangs Enforcement Team (PGNG), OPP Emergency Response Team, OPP Community Street Crime Unit, Thunder Bay Police Service (TBPS) Emergency Task Unit and Nishnawbe Aski Police Service (NAPS). The Toronto Police Service Drug Squad also assisted with this investigation.
As a result of the search warrants, police seized:
1.7 kilograms of suspected cocaine
$257,000 in Canadian currency
Four cell phones
Three digital scales
One laptop computer
The estimated street-value of the drugs seized is $170,000.
Malcolm PARCHMENT, age 30 of East Gwillimbury, Philip ARPIN, age 62 of Thunder Bay, April ARPIN age 43 of Thunder Bay and Lauritz PAJAMAKI, age 70 of Kakabeka Falls have each been charged with the following two offences under the CC and CDSA:
Possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime over $5,000
Possession for the purpose of trafficking cocaine
One of the accused remains in custody and the other three accused were released. They are scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Thunder Bay on various dates.
The OPP would like to thank TBPS, NAPS and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) for their support of the PGNG program.
Anyone with any information about illegal firearms or the possession, manufacturing or trafficking of illicit drugs should contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or ontariocrimestoppers.ca.