Two Toronto men among five accused of gun and drug trafficking

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Two men from Toronto are among five people attested and charged with 31 gun and drug trafficking offences after police executed two search warrants in Thunder Bay earlier this month.

The Provincial Joint Forces Guns and Gangs Enforcement Team, led by the Ontario Provincial Police, searched two residences in the east end of Thunder Bay on Sept. 19 and allegedly found two loaded handguns, ammunition, cellphones, an extended magazine, a small quantity of suspected fentanyl and approximately $10,000 in Canadian money.

Travas Gayle, 34, and Khalad Haouari, 22, both of Toronto, face multiple charges. Also charged with multiple offences are Joanna-Marie Zannie, 38, and Gregory Rule, 59, both of Thunder Bay, and a 14-year-old from Montreal.

Gayle is charged with unauthorized possession of a prohibited or restricted firearm; careless storage of a firearm, weapon, prohibited device or ammunition; knowledge of unauthorized possession of a firearm; possession of a weapon for dangerous purpose; possession of loaded prohibited or restricted firearm; possession of proceeds of crime over $5,000; and possession of a firearm contrary to a prohibition order.

The other four accused are charged with unauthorized possession of a prohibited or restricted firearm; careless storage of a firearm, weapon, prohibited device or ammunition; knowledge of unauthorized possession of a firearm; possession of a weapon for dangerous purpose; possession of loaded prohibited or restricted firearm; and possession of proceeds of crime over $5,000.

All five accused were remanded in custody and are scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Thunder Bay at later dates.

The PGNG is made up of members of 20 police services, including Thunder Bay and Nishnawbe Aski cops and the RCMP.