Winnipeg police to give update on drug investigation involving bagel shop owner

Winnipeg police will provide more details on Friday about a significant interprovincial drug investigation that resulted in trafficking charges against the owner of a local bagel shop.

CBC News will livestream the update on Project Onyx here and on Facebook at 11 a.m.

Chris Silva, who owns Hudson Bagels on Sherbrook Street, was charged in December with trafficking, possession for the purposes of trafficking and possession of property or the proceeds of property obtained by drug-related crime valued over $5,000.

Those charges stemmed from the Project Onyx investigation, according to a statement of claim filed around the same time in Manitoba’s Court of King’s Bench by the director of criminal property forfeiture. That investigation began in August 2021, the statement of claim said.

The court filing said that investigation used undercover officers, production orders, warrants and surveillance.

That included direct physical surveillance of Silva, who the filing alleged was a high-ranking member of a drug trafficking network that moved cocaine and MDMA into Manitoba and distributed it within the province.

The crimes Silva is charged with were alleged to have happened between Sept. 13 and Dec. 14, court records say.

The document also alleged police saw around $1 million worth of cocaine being handled, stored and/or distributed by members of the network.

It also alleged that Silva was seen being given drug money by another member of the network.

Insp. Elton Hall, of the Winnipeg Police Service’s organized crime division, will speak alongside Justice Minister Kelvin Goertzen at Friday’s news conference, police said.

Police will also display items seized during the investigation.

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