Around 50 officers from Montreal executed warrants across the city in an effort to take down a Montreal-Toronto cocaine ring.

An investigation led by the  Sûreté du Québec and the Saint-Jérôme Police Service led to the arrest of eight people on Wednesday morning in connection with a cocaine trafficking network operating between Toronto and Quebec.

The co-ordinated raids were carried out in several locations, including the Montreal boroughs of Le Sud-Ouest, Rivière-des-Prairies–Pointe-aux-Trembles and Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, as well as in the cities of Brownsburg-Chatham, Saint-Jérôme and Saint-Hyacinthe.

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Montreal police say the network regularly sourced cocaine in Toronto and brought it to Quebec to be sold at a higher price.

The investigation began last spring, led by the SPVM’s Anti-Gang Unit.

Prior search operations in April and May resulted in “Our criminal investigation revealed that the network used the Toronto-Montreal corridor to bring drugs into Quebec and then resell them at a higher price. Two members of the dismantled network allegedly played a central role in the supply, distribution, and co-ordination of trafficking activities,” said SPVM organized crime section Chief Commander Francis Renaud.

The seizure included 46.5 kilograms of cocaine, a firearm, more than $80,000 in cash, and other evidence.

Four men and four women are facing charges related to drug possession, trafficking, and possession of property obtained by crime.

They are expected to appear in court later today at the Montreal courthouse.

Police say two suspects, both 35 years old, remain at large.

Authorities are asking anyone with information on their whereabouts to contact 911 or local police.

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Niagara regional police say the suspect wanted for the fatal shooting of an Ontario woman, and linked to an Amber Alert, has been shot and killed by police.

In an update, police said that during the early hours of Wednesday, officers found a vehicle with the suspect — 38-year-old Anthony Deschepper — at a gas station near Thorold Stone and Montrose roads in Niagara Falls.

The force’s emergency task unit “became involved with that vehicle” and after “an interaction with officers,” Deschepper was shot and killed by police, they said. No officers were injured.

Police said due to the officer shooting, the province’s Special Investigations Unit has invoked its mandate and no other details will be released by police. The SIU is an independent agency that investigates the conduct of officers when a person is killed.

Deschepper was wanted after a woman was shot and killed in a plaza parking lot in the area of Airport Road and Queen Street East in Brampton earlier on Tuesday.

Hours later, an Amber Alert was issued just before 5 p.m. involving a one-year-old girl.

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Police told reporters the girl had been seen in the back seat of the vehicle being driven by Deschepper, but was dropped off with family members. The Amber Alert ended and police said she was “safe and sound.”

They also said it’s believed to be a case of intimate partner violence but would not elaborate further.

1:45
Police investigating Brampton shooting death after now-ended Amber Alert

Another alert was put out, this time by Niagara regional police, at 6:52 p.m., for residents in the Crystal Beach area to shelter in place as it was believed Deschepper was in the area. That alert was lifted shortly after when police said evidence suggested he had left that area.

Officers then found Deschepper on Wednesday at around 2:30 a.m.

Global News has also learned that Deschepper was wanted in 2023 for firearm-related offences after being accused of discharging a gun at a Brampton residence.

A warrant was put out for his arrest and he was arrested a few weeks later by Waterloo regional police. Those charges were still before the courts with a trial date set for 2026. He was out on bail awaiting this trial.

— with files from Global News’ Catherine McDonald

&copy 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.