CPS, OPP SEIZE 35 FIREARMS AND MORE THAN $2 MILLION IN DRUGS

Cornwall, ON – Twenty people are facing more than 700 Criminal Code charges after an intelligence-led drug trafficking investigation in the City of Cornwall and the surrounding area. Investigators have prevented 35 illegal firearms from reaching communities, including handguns and two assault-style rifles.

The Cornwall Police Service (CPS) and the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP)-led Provincial Weapons Enforcement Unit (PWEU) launched Project FESTER in September 2024 to investigate alleged drug and firearms trafficking within the City of Cornwall.

As the investigation progressed, the scope expanded to include several jurisdictions, and a cross-border element was subsequently identified. OPP members from the Border Enforcement Security Task Force (BEST), the Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service (AMPS), Ottawa Police Service (OPS) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) were then engaged.

Two criminal networks were identified – one allegedly trafficking illicit substances in the City of Cornwall, and a second allegedly trafficking firearms in Ottawa and Akwesasne. The United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives and Homeland Security Investigations also supported the cross-border component of this investigation.

On Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025, six search warrants were executed in Cornwall, Ottawa and Akwesasne by members from:

• CPS Street Crime Unit
• OPP PWEU
• OPP BEST
• OPP Repeat Offender Parole Enforcement (ROPE)
• OPP Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Community Street Crime Unit
• OPP Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau
• Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service
• Ottawa Police Services
• Canada Border Services Agency
• Kingston Police
• Sûreté du Québec

As a result of the investigation and the search warrants on Oct. 8, 2025, the following items were seized with approximate quantities:

• 33 handguns
• Two assault-style rifles
• Prohibited devices, including firearms parts
• Ammunition
• Three 3-D printers
• 8.3 kg suspected cocaine
• 5.8 kg suspected fentanyl
• 150 g suspected MDMA
• 4 g suspected heroin
• 40 oxycodone tablets
• 18 g alprazolam
• 9 g hydromorphone
• $70,000 in Canadian currency
• A personal watercraft as offence-related property
• One stolen vehicle recovered

The estimated street-value of the drugs seized is more than $2 million.

Illegal firearms are trafficked to other criminals who intend to use them for the commission of an offence. There is a high profit margin on illegal firearms, and the estimated value of the illegal firearms seized in Project FESTER is more than $177,000.

A total of 20 individuals have been charged with more than 700 offences. The following 15 individuals have been arrested:

• Lucius Nadler, 18, Ottawa, ON
• Richard Emmerson, 63, Ottawa, ON
• Richard Eagle, 45, Cornwall, ON
• Walid Farhat, 31, Ottawa, ON
• Ryan Glaude, 40, Cornwall, ON
• Donald Smeall, 52, Apple Hill, ON
• Joey Rozon, 43, Ottawa, ON
• Bruce Tarbell, 64, Akwesasne, ON
• Blake Atwell, 49, Cornwall, ON
• Jamal Davy-Gordon, 34, Cornwall, ON
• Ryan Balston, 34, Cornwall, ON
• Tyler Pyper, 28, Cornwall, ON
• Malcolm Pyper, 29, Cornwall, ON
• Trevin Lazore, 22, Hogansburg, NY
• Amanda Tryon, 34, Akwesasne, ON

Further details on the accused and their respective charges can be found within the Addendum of Charged Persons below.

Meanwhile, arrest warrants have been issued for the remaining five individuals.

The Criminal Intelligence Service Ontario (CISO)-managed Firearms Analysis and Tracing Enforcement (FATE) Program traces the origin and conducts analysis on all crime gun seized and recovered in Ontario. The firearms seized through Project FESTER will undergo analysis to determine their origin.

If you have information about suspicious cross-border activity, including firearms smuggling, please contact the CBSA Border Watch Line toll-free at 1-888-502-9060 or online.

The successful completion of this investigation was made possible through funding provided by the Ontario Government, Ministry of the Solicitor General in which the CISO supported this investigation.

QUOTES

“Project FESTER has removed more than $2 million in illegal drugs and firearms from our streets, one of the largest and most complex investigations in the history of the Cornwall Police Service, led in partnership with the OPP’s Provincial Weapons Enforcement Unit and members of the Border Enforcement Security Task Force. The Cornwall Police Service remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting our community by actively targeting organized crime groups involved in the trafficking of firearms and illicit drugs. We will continue to disrupt and dismantle organized criminal activity to prevent our city from being exploited. Our priority is, and always will be, ensuring a safer Cornwall for all.”

– CPS Chief of Police Shawna Spowart

“The geographical nature of Eastern Ontario makes it a key corridor for drug and firearms trafficking. Project FESTER demonstrates the power of proactive, cross-border enforcement and the strength of national and international partnerships. This investigation is a testament to what can be achieved when agencies work together with a shared purpose. By combining intelligence, resources and expertise, we’ve disrupted criminal networks and made the communities we serve safer. The impact of this collaboration will be felt far beyond Cornwall, and the OPP remains committed to continuing this vital work alongside our partners.”

– OPP Chief Superintendent Mike Stoddart, Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau

“Canada Border Services Agency officers are Canada’s first line of defence against cross-border crime. By identifying and disrupting drug and firearm trafficking networks, we're stopping these dangerous goods from entering our communities. We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to keep Canadians safe."

– Jag Johnston, Regional Director General, CBSA Northern Ontario Region

“The United States continues to battle the ongoing problem of firearms smuggling at the Canadian Border. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is committed to protecting communities from the illegal trafficking of firearms by violent criminals and criminal organizations. This case underscores the importance of cross-border collaboration in disrupting the flow of illegal firearms and drugs. We look forward to continued collaboration to ensure the safety and security of communities on both sides of the border.”

– Bryan Berryman, Assistant Country Attaché, ATF Canada Country Office

ADDENDUM OF CHARGED PERSONS: Click here

CPS MISSION: In partnership with diverse communities, we are committed to the pursuit of excellence and keeping our city safe.

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Media Contact:
Rodney Wilson
Cornwall Police Service
Wilson.r@cornwallpolice.com