News release: CACP Award of Excellence for Combating Organized Crime 2022

08/10/22 - 08/10/27

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 10, 2022

The Manitoba Division of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police receives the 2022 CACP Award of Excellence for Combating Organized Crime

OTTAWA, ONTARIO – The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP) is proud to announce the winner of an award recognizing the contributions of indivixuals and/or teams who have exhibited excellence innovation, and initiative to detect, disrupt, and dismantle criminal organizations.

This year’s CACP Award of Excellence for Combating Organized Crime was presented to the ‘D’ Division of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Manitoba for the successful implementation of Project Divergent.

This agent-led investigation originated in 2018, targeting organized crime in Manitoba responsible for the importation and distribution of controlled substances.

This investigation expanded to include targets across Canada, including Damion Ryan, a member of the Wolf Pack and Hell's Angels criminal organizations. Ryan had been the target of several high-level investigations across Canada and the world.

Partnering with domestic and international law enforcement and criminal justice experts (Winkler Police Service, US Homeland Security, CFSEU BC, RCMP E, 0, C, NHQ and RCMP International Liaison Officers in Mexico, Columbia, USA, and Greece, Hellenic Police in Greece, National Police of Columbia, Health Canada, and FINTRAC), Project Divergent successfully gathered evidence in support of organized crime-related offences, proceeds of crime, trafficking and possession for the purpose of trafficking, and firearms related offences involving Ryan and 21 others from 5 separate criminal organizations.

The result of Project Divergent was the seizure of 150 kilograms of cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl (the largest seizure in Manitoba RCMP history), $500,000 CAD in proceeds of crime, and 19 restricted firearms. A total of 57 charges were laid, all proceeding via direct indictment.

Organized crime knows no borders, so policing efforts must also be global in nature. Project Divergent is an excellent example of how transnational policing efforts are possible and are successful in generating impactful results when it comes to combating organized crime.

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For further information or to arrange a media interview, please contact:

Natalie Wright
Communications Advisor
communications@cacp.ca 
613.838.8807