Tips led Greater Sudbury Police to major drug bust in 2021

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A local man charged in a major drug bust in Greater Sudbury last year that turned up fentanyl, cocaine, hydromorphone and methamphetamine will be sentenced next month.

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The Jan. 18 date for Daniel Cunningham, 30, was set in video bail remand court in Sudbury.

Cunningham, 30, pleaded guilty in the Ontario Court of Justice on Nov. 16 to possession of proceeds of crime over $5,000 and cocaine possession for the purpose of trafficking.

Facts in the case were not read in at that time.

Local lawyer Jacob Gauthier is representing Cunningham, who is in custody.

On Nov. 7, two southern Ontario men who were also charged in the drug bust – Marlon Carelse-Brown of Barrie and Soulaimon Cadogan of Scarborough, both 33 – pleaded guilty to fentanyl possession for the purpose of trafficking.

The two men are also in custody. Both were scheduled to appear in video bail remand court later in the week to possibly have sentencing dates set.

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Lawyer Glenn Sandberg, representing Carelse-Brown, told the court via Zoom link that a joint submission will be presented at the sentencing hearing for his client, which may occur in early February.

Cadogan, meanwhile, is being represented by Adele Monaco. She told the court via Zoom link she is looking to hold the sentencing hearing for her client before February.

Pre-sentence reports were not ordered for either man.

In separate hearings, federal prosecutor Denys Bradley read in an identical agreed statement of facts for Carelse-Brown and Cadogan.

In June 2021, Greater Sudbury Police and the Ontario Provincial Police were tipped that several individuals were trafficking cocaine and fentanyl in the city. Officers began an investigation that involved significant surveillance.

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On Aug. 28, 2021, search warrants were obtained and executed for homes on Martindale Road and Murray Street.

Officers Carelse-Brown and Cadogan in a vehicle in the driveway of the Martindale Road residence and arrested them.

They had 150 grams of fentanyl on them. Inside the vehicle, police found $2,400 in cash and five cellphones.

A search of the Martindale Road home turned up $20,000 cash, additional drugs, cutting agents, five digital scales and packaging materials.

In the Murray Street residence, officers found $1,740 in cash, more drugs, cutting agents, digital scales, nine cellphones and packaging materials.

A fourth man charged in the drug bust – Kumani Moot, 28, of Greater Sudbury – entered a guilty plea some time ago and was jailed.

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The Crown, meanwhile, dropped charges against two 17-year-old youths from the Greater Toronto Area.

When police charged the six, a mix of nine firearms and drug counts were laid against each of the four adults. Police charged each of the two youths with one count of drug trafficking and one count of possession of property obtained by crime.

According to Greater Sudbury Police at the time, the estimated street value of the cocaine, fentanyl and methamphetamine found was $217,995. Police also said officers seized a 40-calibre handgun during the arrests.

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Twitter: @HaroldCarmichae