600CKAT

North Bay Police have arrested and charged five people in connection with a large drug seizure in the city yesterday. The arrests were made in and near a residence on Tackaberry Drive, where 37 pounds of marijuana with a street value of approximately $336,000 was seized. In addition to this, a quantity of ecstasy and oxycontin pills, drug trafficking equipment and paraphernalia, five motor vehicles and $30,000 in cash was seized.   Twenty-six-year-old Christopher Upton of North Bay is charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance for the Purpose of Trafficking and Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable offence.  Twenty-six-year-old Adam Dwinnel, 23-year-old Ashley Gaudette and 33-year-old Carlyle Goulais, all of North Bay, as well as 27-year-old Grant Stevens of Sturgeon Falls, are all charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance for the Purpose of Trafficking.  Police confirm the arrests are the culmination of a lengthy investigation, which involved police from Ottawa-Carlton and Montreal, called Project Green Tide.  In addition to the seizures and arrests made in North Bay yesterday, police in Montreal executed a search warrant at a home there, resulting in the seizure of marijuana, ecstasy and $2000 in cash. In Ottawa, an additional vehicle, as well as $50,00 was seized.  In addition, an arrest warrant for Trafficking in a Controlled Substance and Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence has been issued for former North Bay resident William ‘Billy’ Michael Nopper, who no resides in Ottawa. Police expect additional arrests, charges and seizures will be made in connection with this investigation.