Intelligence-led search in north-end neighbourhood yields significant drug and firearm seizure
THUNDER BAY — A coordinated drug-trafficking investigation by the Thunder Bay Police Service has led to three arrests and the seizure of what officers describe as high-volume quantities of suspected illegal drugs and a handgun, police announced Sunday.
Members of the service's Intelligence Unit and its Break and Enter and Robbery Unit executed a search of a residence in the Ray Boulevard area on the evening of Aug. 13. Police said three people were located and arrested during the search.
- More than 700 grams of suspected cocaine
- More than 56 grams of suspected fentanyl
- A handgun
- Canadian currency and items police allege are associated with drug trafficking
Police estimated the combined street value of the suspected drugs at more than $100,000. The substances have been described by investigators as suspected cocaine and suspected fentanyl pending the evidentiary and forensic process.
“The investigation is significant for Thunder Bay because it involves both alleged high-volume drug trafficking and a firearm, bringing together two major public-safety concerns for the city,” police said in a news release.
Charges laid and court outcomes
Thunder Bay police identified one accused by name. Leroy Webb, 48, of Thunder Bay, faces multiple charges including possession of a Schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking — both cocaine and fentanyl — along with firearms-related charges and possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000. Police also charged him with obstructing police. Webb was remanded into custody after his first court appearance, police said.
Another man, identified as Elmer Moonias, 32, of Thunder Bay, and an unnamed woman were also charged. Both face charges of possession of a Schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking — cocaine — and possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime under $5,000. Moonias was remanded into custody following his first appearance; the woman was released with a future court date. Police did not release her name.
Local context and consequences
For residents, the seizure underscores two intersecting concerns for municipal public safety: the distribution of high-potency opioids such as fentanyl and the presence of firearms associated with alleged drug operations.
Thunder Bay, like many Ontario cities, has grappled with opioid-related harm in recent years. Police say operations that target distribution networks are a key element in reducing supply and the risks posed to users and the broader community. The addition of a firearm in this investigation amplifies potential threats to neighbourhood safety and complicates an already fraught public-health and public-safety landscape.
Investigations of this type typically proceed through forensic analysis of seized substances, inventory and documentation of evidence, and coordination with Crown counsel on charges and disclosure. Those processes determine final charges and support prosecutions; police noted that the terms "suspected" cocaine and fentanyl reflect pending confirmation through the evidentiary process.
| Item seized | Police estimate / description |
|---|---|
| Suspected cocaine | More than 700 grams |
| Suspected fentanyl | More than 56 grams |
| Firearm | Handgun seized |
| Estimated street value | More than $100,000 (police estimate) |
Police did not provide further details about the residence searched beyond its location in the Ray Boulevard area nor did they say whether investigations linked this seizure to wider regional trafficking networks.
Community responses to such seizures often vary. Some residents express relief when authorities remove drugs and weapons from neighbourhoods; others raise questions about root causes, including addiction, availability of treatment and broader socio-economic drivers that contribute to local drug markets. Police said this operation was intelligence-led and involved units with experience in targeting trafficking and property crime.
As the forensic process moves forward, charges laid in court and any subsequent court outcomes will be a matter of public record. The Thunder Bay Police Service asked anyone with information about drug trafficking or firearms offences in the community to contact investigators or Crime Stoppers.
This case is among several drug-related enforcement actions in the city this year as law enforcement continues to prioritise investigations that combine intelligence-gathering with targeted search warrants. For residents, the immediate impact is tangible: a large quantity of suspected controlled substances and a firearm removed from a local residence and three people facing serious criminal allegations.
