Suspects linked to Innisfil human and drug trafficking ring appear in court
It's been four months since South Simcoe police investigators said three women were safely removed from a residence in Innisfil where it's believed they were being held to provide sexual services as part of a human and drug trafficking ring.
Seven people face charges in connection with the investigation. Five of the accused appeared in courtrooms in Barrie and Bradford on Thursday, including four who are out on bail.
Police said search warrants were executed at two residences in November, which resulted in the alleged seizure of $30,000 worth of drugs, including cocaine, crystal meth, and fentanyl, as part of its Project Chameleon investigation.
Police revealed investigators initially received a tip in May about a woman being sex-trafficked out of a home in Innisfil.
- Download the CTV News app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox
South Simcoe police said they identified three suspects accused of posting online ads for sexual services of several women from Bradford and Innisfil.
The accused in the case, Jashyna Singh and Oneil Hopkinson, remain behind bars along with Tyrone Dias. Their co-accused Hung Lam, Joseph Carvalho, Edgar Martinez and Royden Reis were granted bail and face sex and drug trafficking charges, including procuring, advertising, and materially benefitting from sexual services.
Police said Hopkinson is also accused of sexual assault.
While defence lawyers representing the seven accused review the evidence against their clients, Singh, Dias and Hopkinson seek bail.
The accused are all scheduled to make their next appearance in the coming weeks.
The allegations against each of the accused have not been tested in court.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Norovirus spreading at 'higher frequency' than expected in Canada
Norovirus is spreading at a 'higher frequency' than expected in Canada, specifically, in Ontario and Alberta, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.
Weather system that caused deadly U.S. tornadoes heads north to Canada, bringing rain and snow
The same storm system that brought deadly tornadoes to parts of the U.S. is heading north, hammering some Canadian provinces with rain and snow, according to latest forecasts.
'Deeply unhappy' grocery shoppers plan to boycott Loblaw-owned stores in May
A boycott targeting Loblaw is gaining momentum online, with what could be thousands of shoppers taking their money elsewhere in May.
French actor Gerard Depardieu in police custody, legal team says
French actor Gérard Depardieu has been taken into police custody in Paris to face questioning, his lawyer told CNN Monday.
McGill University says pro-Palestinian demonstrators 'refuse' to collaborate, encampment violates policies
McGill University says the growing encampment on its lower field in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza violates its policies.
These two chemists were friends for decades. A DNA test revealed they were actually cousins
Jim Arner was always interested in genealogy and discovering more about his ancestry. But after submitting his own DNA test, he learned an old work colleague was actually a distant cousin.
U.S. CDC says it's identified 1st documented cases of HIV transmitted through cosmetic needles
Three women diagnosed with HIV after getting 'vampire facial' procedures at an unlicensed medical spa are believed to be the first documented cases of people contracting the virus through a cosmetic procedure using needles.
Tractor-trailers with no one aboard? The future is near for self-driving trucks on U.S. roads
On a three-lane test track along the Monongahela River, an 18-wheel tractor-trailer rounded a curve. No one was on board.
Health minister 'deeply appreciative' of doctors but capital gains changes here to stay
Health Minister Mark Holland says while he is 'deeply appreciative' of the work doctors in Canada do, the federal government has no plans to scrap the proposed capital gains tax changes outlined in the latest budget, despite opposition from the Canadian Medical Association.