Sudbury police help arrest six human traffickers

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Sudbury police participated in a multi-agency anti-human trafficking operation that resulted in the arrest of six people.

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Five victims have been identified as part of Project Uptown, all of whom appear to have been trafficked in Sudbury.

Four of the accused are from Brampton, while two others are from unknown addresses. They were arrested in Burlington, Mississauga, Ottawa, Penetanguishene and St. Catharines.

The victims are all female, aged 16 to 25, and three of them were minors at some point when they were trafficked, Ontario Provincial Police said.

“It is noted that during the course of the investigation, investigators discovered that a human trafficking victim had been victimized by eight different men in Ontario since 2014,” the service said in a statement. “Each accused used different methods of exploitation and was charged with crimes other than human trafficking.”

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Survivors have been referred to support agencies, including Sudbury and area victim services, to ensure they receive ongoing assistance.

The investigation was launched in October 2022 by the Provincial Joint Force Intelligence-led Human Trafficking Strategy after receiving information of suspected human trafficking.

More than 80 charges were laid against the six offenders, including a woman. Police also seized $1,100 in Canadian currency, more than 30 grams of various illicit substances and a firearm.

Charged with multiple offences, including human trafficking and production of child pornography, were: Angela Mary Marsh, 37, of Brampton; Daryl Mario Allen, 34, of Brampton; Hamed A. Hogyani, 45, of Brampton; Richard Joseph Briscoe, 34, of unknown address; Jeffrey Nathaniel Cheddesingh, 37, of unknown address; and a sixth individual, who has not been named but is a 40-year-old man from Brampton.

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Twenty police services participated in the investigation, including Greater Sudbury Police and Anishinabek Police Service. The remaining police services were all located in southern, eastern and southwestern Ontario.

Members of the Ontario Provincial Police Victim Centred Outreach Team, the Ontario Provincial Police Digital Forensics Team and the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada also provided assistance.

“The success of Project Uptown highlights the vital importance of collaboration between law enforcement and community partners in combating the heinous crime of human trafficking,” said Detective Inspector Mike Thurlow, OPP IJFS Officer in Charge. “This investigation demonstrates that by working together, we can disrupt these criminal activities and provide critical support to victims.”

If you or someone you know is a victim of trafficking, you are strongly encouraged to contact the police.

The Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking provides resources for victims and survivors of human trafficking at canadiancentretoendhumantrafficking.ca.

A national helpline is also available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-833-900-1010.

[email protected]

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