In April of 2023, Niagara Regional Police began an investigation into the illegal sale of drugs in the City of St. Catharines.As a result of the investigation, detectives were able to identify a male suspect. On Wednesday, detectives arrested the suspect in the area of Queenston Street and Welland Avenue in St. Catharines. Detectives were then granted a search warrant for the suspects vehicle and seized the following:
- Loaded handgun
- 8 grams of fentanyl
- $660 Canadian dollars
- 1 Oxycodone pill
- Total street value: $42,636
27 year old Biniam H. Habtamu of Toronto was arrested and charged with the following offences:
- Possess prohibited firearm without holding a licence
- Unauthorized possession of a firearm in a motor vehicle
- Possession of a prohibited firearm knowingly not holding a licence
- Careless storage of a firearm
- Possession of a prohibited firearm with ammunition
- Possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime under $5,000
- Possess schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking
