Waterloo Regional Police arrested two people and seized a stolen loaded handgun, extended-capacity magazines, about 750 grams of suspected fentanyl, and suspected hydromorphone pills after a drug and firearms investigation in Kitchener on August 26, 2026.
Officers executed a search warrant at a home in the area of Ira Needles Boulevard and Highview Drive as part of an investigation the Waterloo Regional Police Service called Project Firebird. The Drugs and Firearms Unit started the investigation in the summer of 2026 to look into drug and firearms offences.
A 22-year-old man from Kitchener and a 17-year-old youth from Guelph face multiple charges, including possession for the purpose of trafficking fentanyl and hydromorphone, unauthorized possession of a firearm, and possession of a prohibited device. The older accused also faces a charge of possession of a firearm for the purpose of trafficking. Both remained in police custody waiting for a bail hearing.
The seized items included a stolen loaded handgun, an extended-capacity magazine, an extended-capacity drum magazine, the suspected fentanyl, and suspected hydromorphone pills, police said.
This seizure comes as Waterloo Region faces a deepening opioid crisis. Paramedic data shows opioid-related calls nearly doubled in the first half of 2026, reaching 825 calls compared with 438 during the same period in 2025. Local drug checking has also found dangerous additives such as medetomidine in the drug supply, which does not respond to naloxone.
Police said the investigation is a key part of ongoing efforts to disrupt the supply of illegal firearms and drugs in the community. In 2025, the service seized or received 992 firearms and $1.88 million worth of drugs, with fentanyl leading drug seizures at 10,899 grams.
