The street gang eyed in a slew of murders, shootings and drug and firearms trafficking operations in Southern Ontario has been pulverized by police.
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Cops announced the results of the wide-ranging Project Churchill on Tuesday.
The year-long probe culminated in 24 arrests, 172 charges, and the seizure of 14 firearms, 880 grams of cocaine, and 1.2 kilograms of fentanyl.
Led by investigators from the Hamilton Police Service, with the assistance of Halton Regional Police and the OPP, the task force targeted Hamilton-based street gang Hot Mali Squad (HMS), which they said was responsible for violent crime across Southern Ontario.
“We cannot tolerate this level of violence,” said Hamilton Police Chief Frank Bergen, who alleged, “targeting this violent street gang was crucial in addressing the surge in Hamilton shootings because this group acted at the epicentre of gun violence, fuelling fear, instability, and harm in the community.”
According to cops, one suspect is still wanted and three of the accused are also wanted in connection to crimes in the Bahamas.
Police alleged the gang’s roots are tied to the Bahamian organized crime group, One Order. Authorities in the islands say the hyper-violent gang is responsible for more than 200 murders.
A number of the alleged gangbangers slipped into Canada claiming they were refugees and asylum seekers, police said. Several were already wanted in the Bahamas for violent crimes.
Cops alleged HMS also has tight ties with Toronto street gang Dirty South, and several of its members were arrested in connection with Project Churchill.
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Dirty South, which allegedly specializes in firearms and drug trafficking, is also a subsidiary of the Bahamas-based One Order, according to police.
In 2019, HMS came to the attention of Hamilton detectives after a dramatic spike in violent crime. Since then, they have spread their tentacles to Brantford, Halton, Waterloo, Toronto and Niagara.
Cops noted that HMS infested the low-rent high-rises around the Jackson Square Mall in downtown Hamilton.
“They have been linked to 125 violent offences, including murder, assault, robbery and sexual assault,” Hamilton Police Insp. Ben Thibodeau said.
He described HMS as a “loose federation” that is highly organized and does have something of a structure.
On Nov. 13, 2024, cops from Hamilton, Halton, Niagara, London, Peel, Waterloo and the OPP executed 17 search warrants in Hamilton, Niagara Falls, St. Catharines and London.
A number of those arrested were out on bail or probation.
Here’s the roster:
— Moustapha Abdallah, 20, Hamilton: five counts of trafficking fentanyl; Abi Abdullahi-Salah, 24, Hamilton: firearms charges, two counts of failure to comply with undertaking and failure to comply with release order; Tareq Alawad, 28, St. Catharines: possession for the purpose of trafficking fentanyl, possession of a prohibited weapon; Issa Bechir, 24, Hamilton: federal parolee and trafficking cocaine.
— Terry Blanchette, 57, and Trey Claybourne, 30, both of London: possession for the purpose of trafficking fentanyl and cocaine.
— Rashad Cooper, 36, Bahamas: trafficking firearms, conspiracy, a slew of other firearms-related charges, domestic assault, and he is wanted for breaching bail in the Bahamas.
— Nathaniel Davidson, 39, of London: firearms-related charges, possession for trafficking cocaine, and five counts of possession of a firearm contrary to order.
— Sirak Solomon Eskias, 22: trafficking firearms, weapons charges, trafficking cocaine and fentanyl, operation while prohibited and uttering threats; Dushaun Gray, 30, of Hamilton: trafficking cocaine, possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking; Yared Kidane, 18, Hamilton: possession of fentanyl for the purpose of trafficking.
— Devon Deon Laing, 29, Bahamas: conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, attempted murder in the Bahamas; Ryan MacDonald, 37, London: firearms-related charges and possession of a firearm contrary to order; Robert Mader, 41, Bahamas: conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, prohibited weapon and proceeds of crime under.
— Cathy Mingo, 62, Hamilton: conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, proceeds of crime; Nawal Mohammed, 18, Hamilton: possession of fentanyl and cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, proceeds of crime; Ahmed Osman, 20, Hamilton: robbery, trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, opioids, other drugs; Lisa Seabrook, 47, London: possession of fentanyl and cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.
— Mazin Sharaf, 22, Hamilton: possession of fentanyl and cocaine for the purpose of trafficking; Eric Hilton Stuart, 35, Bahamas: trafficking firearms and wanted for possession of dangerous drugs in the Bahamas; Marthide Wagnac, 31, of Miami, Fla.: trafficking firearms, other firearms charges and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.
Sabrina Waite, 29, Hamilton: possession of a loaded prohibited firearm, other weapons charges; Vada Warrick, 28, St. Catharines: possession of fentanyl for the purpose of trafficking, possession of prohibited weapon; Filimon Embafrash Weldearegay, 24, Hamilton: trafficking firearms, other firearms charges, conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, trafficking cocaine and fentanyl and five counts of fail to comply.
In addition, a 17-year-old girl from Hamilton has been charged with trafficking fentanyl. A warrant has also been issued for Corey Salter, 39, of Hamilton.
“The firearms seized in this investigation are crime guns. They are not firearms legally obtained by responsible gun owners. They are obtained illegally with the intent to be used in criminal offences or trafficked to people who intend to use them in criminal offences,” alleged OPP Det.-Supt. Lee Fulford.
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