Mississauga (Rajeev Sharma): A major undercover investigation into an alleged firearms-trafficking network operating across the Greater Toronto Area has resulted in the seizure of 23 firearms, 951 rounds of ammunition and 824.75 grams of cocaine, Peel Regional Police announced.
Known as Project Red Zone, the investigation began in October 2025 and continued until July 2026. Peel Regional Police said the operation involved its Specialized Enforcement Bureau, the United States Department of Homeland Security and Criminal Intelligence Service Ontario, with investigators working to identify and disrupt the movement of illegal firearms and ammunition into the GTA.
Police said forensic examination of the seized firearms has linked them to 14 shootings across the Greater Toronto Area. One of the firearms was also connected through forensic analysis to a March 2024 homicide in Mississauga, in which one man was killed and another suffered serious injuries. The discovery has added a significant investigative dimension to the firearms seizure, as police continue examining the history and movement of the weapons.
According to Peel Regional Police, 15 of the 23 firearms originated in the United States, while several of the weapons recovered are prohibited in Canada. Investigators also seized 951 rounds of ammunition and 824.75 grams of cocaine during the operation. Police said the investigation demonstrates the cross-border nature of illegal firearms trafficking and the importance of cooperation between Canadian and U.S. law-enforcement agencies.
Four people have been arrested and charged in connection with Project Red Zone. Police identified them as Stephen Prakash Consala, 24, of Scarborough; Akshaya Srikanthan, 24, of Ajax; Sammy Shaik, 28, of Mississauga; and Janoj Dhayabaran, 23, of Toronto.
Police said Consala faces 23 firearms-trafficking charges, ammunition-trafficking charges, nine counts of trafficking in a controlled substance and a charge of failing to comply with a release order. Srikanthan faces 11 firearms-trafficking charges and seven counts of trafficking in a controlled substance. Shaik has been charged with trafficking ammunition, while Dhayabaran faces three firearms-trafficking charges and a charge of possession for the purpose of trafficking.
Peel Regional Police said Consala and Dhayabaran were held pending bail hearings, while Srikanthan and Shaik were released and are scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice.
Police said the investigation involved extensive intelligence gathering and collaboration with U.S. authorities and other Canadian law-enforcement partners. Deputy Chief Nick Milinovich emphasized the importance of coordinated investigations in addressing the illegal movement of firearms and preventing crime guns from reaching communities.
The Project Red Zone investigation also adds to Peel Regional Police’s firearms-seizure figures for 2026. Police said that, including the weapons recovered during this investigation, the service has seized 125 crime guns so far this year.
The investigation was supported through funding from the Ontario Ministry of the Solicitor General, while Criminal Intelligence Service Ontario assisted with the investigative work. Police said the operation remains part of broader efforts to identify firearms trafficking networks and disrupt the supply of illegal weapons connected to violent crime.
The charges announced by police are allegations and have not been proven in court. All accused individuals are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty according to law.
