Morris, Ile des Chenes men among arrests in $37.2M drug bust

Two southeastern Manitoba men were among 33 people arrested in what the Winnipeg Police Service is calling the largest drug bust in Manitoba history.

The accused have ties to the Hells Angels, Wolf Pack Alliance and unspecified Mexican cartels, a Winnipeg Police news release said on May 20.

The two-year investigation, named Project Puma, finished in March 2026 after beginning in 2024. Winnipeg Police partnered with 13 other law enforcement agencies spanning Alberta, Ontario, Manitoba and the RCMP.

The investigation found drugs were being imported from the United States using commercial vehicles and warehoused in Alberta and Ontario. The substances were later transported into Manitoba by mail, private vehicles with hidden compartments, courier deliveries and commercial transport.

Police seized illicit drugs worth an estimated street value of $37.2 million, including methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl. Officers also seized 14 firearms and 1.35 million illegal cigarettes.

Of the 33 individuals facing 174 charges, 29 are from Manitoba.

Richard Barnecki, 43, of Ile des Chenes and Gary Benjamin Thompson, 45, of Morris were both charged with drug trafficking, proceeds of crime and conspiracy-related charges.

– with files from the Winnipeg Free Press