THUNDER BAY – October 30, 2026
Thunder Bay Police say two men have been charged after officers seized $137,000 in cash, suspected cocaine, and Percocet pills from a John Street residence.
Police executed a search warrant on October 27 after a man was seen leaving the address. A second man was found inside and was also arrested. The warrant was issued as part of an ongoing investigation into suspected drug trafficking, police said in a news release Thursday.
Officers recovered 237 grams of what is believed to be cocaine, 53 suspected Percocet pills, trafficking-related paraphernalia, and the cash. A 56-year-old Thunder Bay man and a 30-year-old man from Mississauga each face two counts of trafficking and one count of possession of property obtained by crime. Both remain in custody after an initial court appearance.
The cash seizure is among the larger amounts reported by Thunder Bay Police in recent months. Police have not said how the money was packaged or stored. In similar cases, large amounts of cash found with controlled substances are treated as potential proceeds of crime.
The John Street address is in a residential area of the city. Police have not released further details about the length of the investigation or whether other locations are involved. No additional arrests were announced in the initial release.
Thunder Bay has seen a series of trafficking investigations in recent years. Some have involved people travelling from the Greater Toronto Area. Percocet, which contains oxycodone, has appeared in several northwest Ontario drug alerts. Cocaine continues to turn up in local seizures alongside other substances.
The two accused are expected to return to court at a later date. The seized drugs and cash remain in police custody. If convictions are obtained, the Crown can seek to have the money forfeited.
Police have not indicated whether the investigation remains active. Trafficking probes of this type often take weeks or months before a warrant is executed, particularly when officers are tracking supply routes or money movement.
Residents in the area reported no unusual activity before the search, according to police. The warrant followed observation of the man leaving the property.
The charges fall under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Trafficking offences can carry substantial prison time when larger quantities or cash are involved.
Police have not released the names of the two men. The case adds to recent Thunder Bay investigations that have produced both drug and cash seizures.
For a city the size of Thunder Bay, a cash seizure of this scale stands out from the smaller amounts that often accompany street-level arrests. It suggests the operation may have been handling higher volumes or holding proceeds from multiple sales.
The presence of a Mississauga resident in the residence has drawn attention from local observers who track the movement of drugs and money between northwestern Ontario and the Greater Toronto Area. Similar patterns have appeared in previous Thunder Bay investigations.
Local drug trends continue to shift. While fentanyl and other synthetics remain the primary concern for overdose prevention programs, cocaine and diverted prescription opioids still appear regularly in police seizures. Finding both in a single residence is not unusual.
The two men remain in custody pending further court proceedings. Police have emphasized in past releases that these investigations often continue after the initial arrests as officers follow money flows or supply routes.
No neighbours have publicly commented on the raid. Police have not said whether the investigation has identified additional addresses or people of interest.
The charges themselves are limited to the two men taken into custody. Possession of property obtained by crime is typically laid when police believe seized money is connected to illegal activity. If the Crown proceeds with forfeiture, the money could be turned over to the province following any convictions.
Thunder Bay Police continue to focus on higher-level trafficking in addition to street-level possession. The John Street seizure fits that pattern.
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