Charges have been laid against seven suspects nearly two years after a major drug trafficking ring in the Tri-Cities was shut down.
In 2021, police seized a slew of illicit drugs, guns, hundreds of thousands of dollars in vehicles and cash, and other illegal items at multiple locations during a sting operation known as "Project Eneowise."
This included Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam, as well as Richmond and Vancouver.
In an update today (July 20), RCMP said charges were approved on July 7, 2023, for the group of individuals involved — six men and one woman ranging from 26 to 56 years old, five of whom are listed as Tri-Cities residents.
"The success of this project demonstrates the unwavering commitment to aggressively pursuing organized crime networks working within the Vancouver Lower Mainland," said Supt. Keith Bramhill, Officer in Charge of Coquitlam RCMP, in a statement.
"We will continue to enforce against the illegal drug trade and disrupt criminal networks often to create safer communities."
Eneowise began in fall 2020 as a means to target known drug traffickers across Metro Vancouver.
The investigation ultimately led to seven search warrants executed over nine months — between April and December 2021 — uncovering a cache of drugs, drug paraphernalia, weapons, firearms and luxury vehicles.
The haul included:
- Approximately 51,000 counterfeit Xanax pills (15.3 kg)
- Eight (8) kilograms of cutting agents
- 5.4 kilograms of cocaine
- Three (3) kilograms of fentanyl
- 1.8 kilograms of MDMA
- 866 grams of methamphetamine
- 828 grams of ketamine
- 100 OxyContin pills
- 12 semi-auto carbines
- 11 handguns
- Various magazines and ammunition
- $164,455 in cash
- Four vehicles with an approximate value of $150,000
The suspects, and their charges, are as follows:
Joshawa Hall, 27, from Coquitlam
- Conspiracy to traffic in controlled substances
- Possession of restricted firearms with ammunition
- Careless storage of firearms
- Possession for the purpose of trafficking
- Unauthorized possession of firearms
Luka Cipin, 27, from Coquitlam
- Conspiracy to traffic in controlled substances
- Possession of restricted firearms with ammunition
- Careless storage of firearms
- Possession for the purpose of trafficking
Owen Cooper, 28, from Coquitlam
- Conspiracy to traffic in controlled substances
- Possession of restricted firearms with ammunition
- Careless storage of firearms
- Possession for the purpose of trafficking
Christopher Abra, 40, from Chilliwack
- Possession for the purpose of trafficking
Katrina Desjarlais, 30, from Coquitlam
- Trafficking in controlled substances
James Gueulette, 56, from Port Coquitlam
- Trafficking in controlled substances
Tanner Kadylo, 26, from Alberta
- Trafficking in controlled substances
Coquitlam RCMP's drugs, organized crime and uniform crime reduction units were the leads for Project Eneowise.
Other agencies called upon included the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit (CFSEU-BC), Richmond RCMP and the Vancouver Police Department.
Anyone with more information about the drug trafficking incidents or of any suspicious activity in their neighbourhood should call Coquitlam RCMP at 604-945-1550.
