Major drug bust

Eighteen people have been charged with 45 drug-related offenses, following early morning search warrants and arrests, conducted in North Bay, and the West Nipissing area.

The charges stem from a three-month undercover investigation conducted by the Ontario Provincial Police Drug Enforcement Section, the North Bay Police Service, and the OPP Northeast Region Crime Unit.

Undercover officers infiltrated street-level drug traffickers, making numerous purchases of marijuana, cocaine and other controlled drugs and substances.

Value of the drugs--marijuana, cocaine, hashish and morphine--purchased and seized is $25,000.

Ten of the 18 people charged are from North Bay, and five are from West Nipissing.

Police said none of the 18 are connected nor did they have ties to other larger-scale drug dealers or wholesalers.

North Bay residents charged with one count each of trafficking in a controlled substance are:

Brady Maveracus, 42; Cindy Lavigne, 39; James Renaud, 47; Tamie Richards, 26, also charged with possession of a controlled substance.

North Bay residents charged with two counts each of trafficking in a controlled substance are:

April McGinnis, 22; and Jason Julien, also charged with possession of a controlled substance.

Two other North Bay residents face multiple charges each:

Susan Gendron, 43, is charged with four counts of trafficking in a controlled substance; Gerald Saulnier, 40, is charged with seven counts of trafficking in a controlled substance; possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking; possession of a controlled substance; and breach of probation.

The final North Bay suspects, Allen LeBlanc, 45, and Lise Gauthier, 44, are both charged with possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking.

Grant Barns, 48, of Corbeil, is charged with trafficking in a controlled substance; and Harold Doucette, 66, also of Corbeil, is charged with three counts of trafficking in a controlled substance.

West Nipissing residents charged are:

Patricia Nixon, 50, of Sturgeon Falls, trafficking in a controlled substance; Bruce Kennedy, 57, of Sturgeon Falls, trafficking in a controlled substance; possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking; and possession of a controlled substance; David Lauda, 47, of Lavigne, trafficking in a controlled substance; and possession of a controlled substance; Marjelaine Tremblay, 48, of Lavigne, trafficking in a controlled substance; and possession of a controlled substance; Gary Brohman, 47, of Verner, two counts of trafficking in a controlled substance; and production of a controlled substance; and Gerald Scriver, 58, of Verner, three counts of trafficking in a controlled substance; and production of a controlled substance.

Weapons-related charges are also anticipated, police said.