RCMP say Shawn Gibbons, age 51 of Steady Brook, and Patrick Hickey, age 25 of Corner Brook, are two of the five people charged with trafficking cocaine.
An investigation that started in February, 2021, into interprovincial cocaine trafficking will see four of the five charged appear in Corner Brook Provincial Court in January. Dubbed “Operation Bustle” Three of the accused were initially arrested on December 22, 2022, in the Corner Brook area. Search warrants were conducted at a large commercial storage unit in Corner Brook as well as four homes in the Humber Valley, Gander and St. John’s area between November and December in 2022. RCMP found approximately eight kilograms of cocaine, more than $173,000.00 cash, drug paraphernalia and other items consistent with drug trafficking. Shawn Gibbons, age 51 of Steady Brook, Patrick Hickey, age 25 of Corner Brook. Stephen Kelly, age 42, who resided in St. John’s at the time of his arrest and now resides in Gander, Kathleen Pelley, age 33 of Gander, and Clifford Mugford, age 33 of Appleton are all facing charges. Four of the accused, Kelly, Pelley, Hickey and Gibbons, are set to appear in Corner Brook Provincial Court on January 23rd. The investigation is continuing with further charges expected. An update is anticipated in the new year.