Toronto police bust gun buyers, infiltrate alleged online gun trafficking network
See more Toronto Sun on Google — save as a Preferred Source
Three Toronto residents were arrested and charged with 45 firearms-related offences in a six-month trafficking investigation.
“This investigation was about more than the firearms seized or the charges laid,” Insp. Steve Matthews of the Integrated Gun and Gang Task Force said on Tuesday morning. “Every illegal firearm removed from our streets is one less firearm that can be used to threaten the safety of our communities.
“Disrupting firearm trafficking networks, like this one, is a critical part of preventing gun violence and drugs.”
Launched in February, Project Playfight began after officers received information that an individual was trafficking firearms through an unnamed online platform.
“Undercover officers gathered evidence that uncovered a previously unidentified firearm trafficking network operating in Toronto, selling firearms outside lawful channels,” Matthews said. “Investigators identified three individuals allegedly involved in the network.”
Police executed a search warrant on July 29. A total of 15 guns were recovered during the raid.
Toronto police also allege that the suspects removed the serial numbers before selling the guns and sold the weapons “at prices consistent with those associated with crime guns in Toronto.”
“Some of the firearms had previously been deactivated and were subsequently modified to restore their ability to fire,” Matthews said. “Others were accompanied by prohibited devices, including over-capacity magazines and auto-sears, capable of converting a handgun from semi-automatic to fully automatic.”
Matthews says the cops believe one individual acted as the supplier while the two acted as sellers in this illegal operation.
Cash and gold also seized
In addition to the firearms bust, officers recovered more than 1,200 rounds of ammunition, overcapacity magazines, and an auto sear, capable of converting a handgun into a fully automatic weapon. A 2.5-gram gold bar was seized, along with $7,000 in cash.
Zhuohang Ma, 23, of Toronto, was charged with nine offences including five counts of possession of a firearm with an altered serial number, conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, possession of an unloaded, regulated firearm and seven counts of knowingly possessing a firearm, device or ammunition for transfer.
Jun Xiang Huang, 29, of Toronto, was charged with three offences, including four counts of knowingly manufacturing, transferring a firearm, device or ammunition and three counts of failing to report a lost or stolen firearm.
Lie Le, 23, of Toronto, was charged with six offences, including possession of a firearm with an altered serial number, conspiracy to commit an indictable offence and knowingly possessing a firearm, device or ammunition for transfer.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Toronto police at 416-808-2510.