Ottawa cops bust weed and coke ring, seize Nunavut-bound dope

The Ottawa Police Service’s Drug Unit found 668 grams of marijuana hidden in these 12 coffee cans bound for Nunavut from Ottawa in mid-November. The seizure led police to uncover a much larger quantity of weed and cocaine in a Dec. 17 raid, and charge 10 suspects in an Ottawa trafficking ring. (PHOTO COURTESY OF OTTAWA POLICE SERVICE)

Ottawa police charged 10 people with drug trafficking Dec. 17 in connection with a smuggling ring that used Canada Post to send marijuana to Nunavut.

Police seized multiple kilograms of weed and hash, nearly a kilogram of cocaine, and about 1.3 kilograms of an unknown powder that was sent for analysis, following raids on four residences in the south end of the city.

Police charged 10 people, including an 84-year-old woman who is charged with possession of cocaine and marijuana. Some of the accused appear to represent three generations of the same family.

Six of the accused face charges of possession for the purpose of trafficking, while four face simple possession charges only.

Their arrests flowed from an investigation sparked by seizure of marijuana destined for the Nunavut community of Grise Fiord in mid-November.

“We continued to gather evidence, and that resulted in the four warrant executions on Wednesday evening,” Staff-Sgt. Ian McDonell of the Ottawa police told Nunatsiaq News.

Police said they found 12 coffee cans containing 668 grams of marijuana, destined for Grise Fiord via Canada Post.

On the evening of Dec. 17, Ottawa police raided residences on Leitrim Road, Meadowlands Drive, Castlegreen Private and Haxby Private.

There they found:

• 13.7 kilograms of marijuana, valued at $137,512 in Ottawa;

• 8.5 kg of cannabis resin, or hashish, valued at $169,400 in Ottawa;

• 989.75 grams of powder cocaine valued at about $99,000, in Ottawa;

• 1,137 grams of an unknown powder that was sent for analysis; and,

• $3,466 in Canadian currency.

McDonell said police could not tell where, exactly, the seized drugs were intended to be sold.

The 10 men and women who were charged are all Ottawa residents, “and well-established drug dealers as you could see by the amount they were dealing in,” he said.

“As far as [whether] they have any connection up North in their history, we don’t know about that right now,” McDonell said.

Charged are:

• Elia Awad, 55: two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking, one count trafficking, one count possession of the proceeds of crime;

• George Abou-Eid, 46, one count possession for the purpose of trafficking, one count of possession, one count possession of the proceeds of crime;

• George Awad, 60: two counts possession;

• Steven Ray, 24: two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking, one count of possession, one count possession of the proceeds of crime;

• Andrea Goluch, 37, one count possession for the purpose of trafficking, one count possession;

• Sarah Guy, 19, two counts possession for the purpose of trafficking, one count possession of the proceeds of crime;

• Julie Robinson, 26, two counts possession for the purpose of trafficking, one count possession of the proceeds of crime;

• Eli Joseph Awad, 22: two counts possession;

• Christopher Campbell, 39: one count of possession; and,

• Adla Awad, 84: two counts possession.

Ray was held in custody pending a court date Dec. 19. Elia Awad and George Abou-Eid are held in custody until a court date Dec. 23.

As of Dec. 19, police were still looking for Adla Awad, a 84-year-old woman facing marijuana and cocaine possession charges, as well as Campbell.

Five others were release with a promise to appear in court Jan. 14.