A drug bust at a home on Cromwell Street in Sarnia, Ontario has led to the arrest of two residents and the seizure of cocaine worth an estimated $186,000, according to the Sarnia Police Service.
Officers with the police drug unit and emergency response team executed a search warrant shortly after 4:00 PM on June 3, 2026. Inside, they found 1,861.21 grams of cocaine, just over 1.8 kilograms, along with $35,895 in cash and digital scales.
Robert Knowles, 38, and Ashley Purdon, 38, both of Sarnia, were arrested at the scene. They each face charges of possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking and possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000.
Police estimate the street value of the seized drugs at $186,121, assuming the cocaine could be sold at $100 per gram. At the wholesale kilogram level, the same amount would range from $28,000 to $34,000. The cash and scales suggest a drug trafficking operation was underway.
Knowles was held for a bail hearing, while Purdon was released on an undertaking with a future court date. The charges have not been tested in court.
The raid is the latest in a series of efforts to disrupt drug trafficking in the border city. In February 2026, a larger operation called Project Bullpen led to seven arrests and the seizure of 3.4 kilograms of cocaine, firearms, and cash.
Sarnia’s location at the Blue Water Bridge crossing makes it a key corridor for illegal drugs. The Canada Border Services Agency reported seizing approximately 1,743 kilograms of cocaine in Southern Ontario in 2025, with 111 kilograms intercepted at the Blue Water Bridge in February 2026 alone.
