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A 24-year-old is facing 89 charges for firearms and drug trafficking offences after police seized 21 loaded guns from an apartment suite near Central Park.
Jawad Miakhail, 24, was arrested on May 7 by a member of the organized crime unit on Corydon Avenue.
Following his arrest, police executed a search warrant at a Cumberland Avenue residence where they found 27 grams of cocaine, approximately $25,000 in cash, a silencer and around 200 rounds of ammunition, police said at a Monday news conference.
Insp. Josh Ewatski of the Winnipeg Police Service’s organized crime division said police found evidence the accused was involved with organized crime and trafficking cocaine to northern communities.
As of right now, there’s no indication this is tied to any larger drug seizures in the province, Ewatski said.
Last week, the Organized Crime Unit announced Project Puma — a two-year investigation which led to the province’s largest illicit drug seizure and 33 arrests.
Police say they also found evidence that one of the firearms was discharged within the Cumberland Avenue residence, and that it struck a church across the street.
Investigators are continuing to trace the guns to determine where they came from, and if they’ve been used in other offences, police said.
Twenty-one loaded handguns, a silencer and approximately 200 rounds of ammunition found during execution of a search warrant on May 7, police say. (Prabhjot Singh/CBC)
“These are all firearms that were meant for illegal purposes, whether it’s illegal possession or use in a criminal offence,” Ewatski said.
“Many of these firearms are trafficked within the province and across the country, either before or after being used.”
Ewatski says Winnipeg police have seized 180 guns this year, and investigated six gun-related homicides and 42 shootings, including 13 where someone was hit.
Last year, police seized 756 guns, and investigated nine firearm-related homicides and 93 shootings, including 34 where someone was hit, he said.
Miakhail is facing multiple charges relating to the possession and storage of restricted and prohibited weapons, and was also charged with possession for the purpose of weapons trafficking.