Members of the Haliburton Highlands Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) have charged a male with multiple offences after a drug related investigation.
On July 15, 2021, at 3:10 a.m., officers from the Haliburton Highlands OPP responded to a drug overdose at an address on County Road 121 in Minden Hills Township. When officers attended the scene a male party was located in possession of a significant amount of drugs and stolen property. With the assistance of the Haliburton and City of Kawartha Lakes Community Street Crime Units (CSCU), a warrant was executed on a trailer for further investigation. Police seized a quantity of controlled substances, including fentanyl and methamphetamine, with a street value of approximately $14,000, and a loaded firearm.
As a result, Carter McInnis, 27 years-of-age, of Minden Hills Township has been charged with the following:
- Unauthorized possession of a firearm
- Breach of firearms regulation- store firearm or restricted weapon
- Knowledge of unauthorized possession of a firearm
- Occupant of motor vehicle knowing there was a firearm
- Possession of a schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking
- Unauthorized possession of a weapon
- Possession of a weapon for dangerous purpose – two counts
- Possession of a firearm or ammunition contrary to Prohibition order- two counts
- Possession of property obtained by crime over $5000
- Theft over $5000
The accused party was remanded into custody and is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice on July 16, 2021.
The Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act became law in Canada on May 4, 2017. The Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act provides some legal protection for individuals who seek emergency help during an overdose. The law does provide protection against charges for possessing drugs and violating conditions of a court order for a simple drug possession charge. It does not, however, provide protection against charges for trafficking illegal drugs, outstanding arrest warrants or violating conditions of a court order for an offence that is not simple possession.
