Photos by Eoin Devereux.

RCMP have made a massive drug seizure. Over 30 people facing 100 charges in connection to a drug trafficking ring. Project Demerit began in October and involved the seizure of around $20,000 dollars of marijuana, cocaine and ecstasy. Eoin Devereux has the details...





The Complete RCMP Press Conference.

RCMP executed drug warrants at 7 houses around Portage on Monday and seized the controlled substances as well as a sawed off shotgun, handgun, rifle and machete.

About 21 people from Portage la Prairie, 1 from Winnipeg, 1 from Long Plain First Nation & 1 from Greenbank, Ontario have been charged in connection to the operation. An additional 5 unnamed people also facing charges while 2 people, one from Greenbank and other from Winnipeg are still at large.


 




As a result of Project DEMERIT, these persons were arrested and face the following charges:

1. Bryan David BYERS, age 20, of Portage la Prairie, MB

  • March 1, 2012 - Traffic Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • March 7, 2012 - Traffic Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB

2. Blair Ryan SINCLAIR, age 26, of Portage la Prairie, MB

  • March 1, 2012 - Traffic Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB
  • March 1, 2012 - Breach Probation, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • March 6, 2012 - Traffic Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • March 6, 2012 - Breach Probation, Portage la Prairie, MB
  • March 17,2012 - Traffic Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • March 17,2012 - Breach Probation, Portage la Prairie, MB


3. Jeremy James GORDON, age 28, of Portage la Prairie, MB

  • March 7, 2012 - Traffic Cocaine,
  • Portage la Prairie, MB

  • March 17,2012 - Traffic Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB


4. Bridgette Anne Marie LONGCLAWS, age 22, of Long Plain First Nation, MB

  • March 8,2012 - Traffic Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • March 15, 2012, Traffic Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB

5. Frank Peter “Justin” TECZA, age 27, of Portage la Prairie, MB

  • March 9, 2012 - Traffic Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • March 9, 2012 - Breach Probation, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • March 14, 2012 -Traffic Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • March 14, 2012 -Breach Probation,Portage la Prairie, MB

  • March 21, 2012 -Traffic Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • March 21, 2012 -Breach Probation, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • March 24, 2012 -Traffic Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • March 24, 2012 - Breach Probation, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • April 5, 2012 - Traffic Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • April 5, 2012 - Breach Probation, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • April 20, 2012 - Traffic Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB
  • April 20, 2012 - Breach Probation, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • April 25, 2012 - Traffic Cocaine, Brandon, MB

  • April 25, 2012 - Breach Probation, Brandon, MB

  • May 7, 2012 - Traffic Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • May 7, 2012 - Breach Probation, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • May 16, 2012 - Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • May 16, 2012 - Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Psilocybin, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • May 16, 2012 - Breach Probation, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • May 16, 2012 Possession of Tobacco in accordance with the Excise Act, Portage la Prairie, MB


6. Hubert ‘‘Morley’’ MCKINNON, age 41, of Portage la Prairie, MB

  • April 20, 2012 - Traffic Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • May 7, 2012 - Traffic Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB


7. Dustin Cory LYNES, age 27, of Portage la Prairie, MB

  • March 17, 2012 - Traffic Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • March 17, 2012 - Traffic Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • March 22, 2012 - Traffic Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB



8. Cody Grayson MOUSSEAU, age 24, of Portage la Prairie, MB

  • March 17, 2012 - Traffic
  • MDMA( Ecstasy), Portage la Prairie, MB

  • March 17, 2012 - Traffic Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB


9. Harold Dolphus CATCHEWAY, age 46, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • March 21, 2012 - Traffic Marihuana, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • March 21, 2012 - Traffic Marijuana, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • April 11, 2012 - Traffic Marijuana, Portage la Prairie, MB


10. Edward John PASHE, age 51, of Portage la Prairie, MB

  • March 21, 2012 - Traffic Marijuana, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • April 11, 2012 - Traffic Marijuana, Portage la Prairie, MB

11. Jeffrey Lawrence BOCKSTAEL, age 31, of Portage la Prairie MB

  • March 21, 2012 - Traffic Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB


12. Kurt Wesley GRAY, age 21, of Portage la Prairie, MB

  • March 21, 2012 - Traffic Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • March 23, 2012 - Traffic Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • April 4, 2012 - Traffic Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB


13. Jonathan ‘‘Mark’’ PELLETIER, age 36, of Portage la Prairie, MB

  • March 22, 2012 - Traffic Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • April 4, 2012 - Traffic Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB


14. Travis William LEWADNIUK, age 21, of Portage la Prairie, MB

  • March 24, 2012 - Traffic Marijuana, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • April 4, 2012 - Traffic Marijuana, Portage la Prairie, MB


15. Jeffrey Ivan DUBETZ, age 24, of Portage la Prairie, MB

  • April 6, 2012 - Traffic Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB


16. Destiny Lynn CATCHEWAY, age 22, of Winnipeg, MB

  • April 11, 2012 - Traffic Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB

17. Bryan James WALOSCHUK, age 25, of Portage la Prairie, MB

  • April 12, 2012 - Traffic Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • April 12, 2012 - Traffic Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB


18. Myron Creed Bison TANNER, age 20, of Portage la Prairie, MB

  • April 19, 2012 - Traffic MDMA (Ecstasy) Portage la Prairie, MB

  • April 19, 2012 - Traffic MDMA (Ecstasy) Portage la Prairie, MB


19. Kayla Mercedes DOYLE, age 19, of Portage la Prairie, MB

  • April 19, 2012 - Traffic Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • April 19, 2012 - Traffic Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • May 16, 2012 - Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • May 16, 2012 - Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Marijuana, Portage la Prairie, MB


20. Cody Ryan GEORGE, age 20, of Portage la Prairie, MB

  • April 20, 2012 - Traffic Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • April 20, 2012 - Breach Recognizance x 2, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • April 20, 2012 - Breach Probation x 3, Portage la Prairie, MB


21. Adrienne Bobbi-Rae WALKER, age 32, of Portage la Prairie, MB

  • May 7, 2012 - Traffic Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • May 16, 2012 - Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • May 16, 2012 - Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Marijuana, Portage la Prairie, MB



22. Jason Michael KRAWETZ, age 34, of Portage la Prairie, MB

  • May 16, 2012 - Production of Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • May 16, 2012 - Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • May 16, 2012 - Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Psilocybin, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • May 16, 2012 - Breach Probation, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • May 16, 2012 - Unauthorized Possession of Firearm, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • May 16, 2012 - Knowledge of Unauthorized Firearm, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • May 16, 2012 - Careless Storage of Firearm, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • May 16, 2012 - Possess Firearm Contrary to Prohibition Order, Portage la Prairie, MB


23. Albert Joseph IRONSTAND, age 28, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • May 16, 2012 - Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • May 16, 2012 - Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Marijuana, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • May 16, 2012 - Breach Probation, Portage la Prairie, MB


An additional five persons are facing charges as a result of this investigation.



The following two persons remain at large and are being sought by investigators


Nicholas Andrew MCCRAE, age 25, of Greenbank, ON

  • February 29, 2012 - Traffic Cannabis Marijuana, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • March 6, 2012 -Traffic Cannabis Marijuana, Portage la Prairie, MB


James Roderick LATHLIN, age 28, of Winnipeg, MB

  • April 11, 2012 - Traffic Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • April 11, 2012 - Breach Probation, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • April 11, 2012 - Traffic Cocaine, Portage la Prairie, MB

  • April 11, 2012 - Breach Probation, Portage la Prairie, MB