Hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of illicit drugs were kept off the streets of Chatham-Kent in 2024.
According to a Police Services Board report, the Chatham-Kent Police Service Intelligence Unit seized $814,845 worth of drugs and stolen property last year, along with another $26,446 in cash related to criminal activities. A total of 20 firearms were also seized.
Investigations conducted by the Intelligence Unit in 2024 resulted in 36 arrests and 156 charges being laid.
The vast majority of last year’s drug seizures were made when officers executed search warrants at a rental property and a vehicle on Erie Shore Drive in Blenheim on September 5, 2024. Police seized $500,000 worth of fentanyl and another $42,000 worth of cocaine.
The Intelligence Unit is a group of officers specializing in drug investigations, property crimes, crime analysis, asset forfeiture, and human trafficking. The unit is currently comprised of one sergeant and eight constables, with plans to expand to 11 constables by next year.
