Police Seize Cocaine, Fentanyl, Oxycodone & Firearm in Owen Sound Raids
Police seize $99,878 in drugs, cash, and a loaded handgun in Owen Sound; six individuals face charges following 'Project Backboard' investigation.
A coordinated investigation into drug trafficking in Owen Sound and surrounding areas has resulted in the seizure of nearly $100,000 in illegal drugs, cash, and a loaded firearm, Owen Sound Police announced Friday.
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) West Region Intelligence Unit, in partnership with the Grey Bruce Community Street Crime Unit (CSCU) and the OSPS, launched Project Backboard in February 2025 to target suspected drug trafficking networks operating in the City of Owen Sound and throughout Grey and Bruce counties.
Officers executed three simultaneous search warrants in Owen Sound on April 24, 2025.
During the searches, investigators seized drugs valued at more than $99,878.
This includes:
469 grams of cocaine
43 grams of crack cocaine
85 grams of fentanyl
331 oxycodone pills
13 grams of MDMA (ecstasy)
Police also confiscated $13,500 in Canadian currency, multiple electronic devices, packaging materials, a currency counter, digital scales, and a loaded 9mm handgun.
According to police, the fentanyl seizure alone — amounting to approximately 850 individual doses — represents a major disruption to the local drug trade and a potential prevention of hundreds of overdoses.
The seizure of 85 grams of fentanyl is particularly significant, OSPS stated in their media release. “Fentanyl is typically sold in 0.1-gram increments, meaning this seizure equates to approximately 850 individual doses — and potentially 850 overdoses prevented,” they wrote.
The operation involved the OPP Tactics and Rescue Unit (TRU), West Region Emergency Response Team (ERT), OPP Canine Unit, Owen Sound Police Criminal Investigations Branch, West Region Intelligence Unit, and Community Street Crime Units from Huron Perth, Wellington, and Grey Bruce.
Six individuals now face charges in connection with the investigation.
Police have charged a 20-year-old man from Hamilton with multiple offences, including possession for the purpose of trafficking cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine, and oxycodone.
He also faces charges related to the unsafe storage of a firearm, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of a prohibited firearm with ammunition, and possession of property obtained by crime.
A 45-year-old woman from Owen Sound has been charged with possession of cocaine, while a 46-year-old Owen Sound man faces two counts of failing to comply with a release order.
Additionally, a 64-year-old man, a 59-year-old woman, and a 49-year-old woman, all from Owen Sound, have each been charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking both cocaine and oxycodone.
In a statement, police emphasized the importance of the operation, noting that removing these substances and firearms from the community will have a "direct, positive impact on community safety."
"The Owen Sound Police Service and the Ontario Provincial Police remain committed to addressing the opioid crisis head-on and protecting our communities from the devastating effects of illicit drug use," police stated.