Three people arrested and over $14,000 in suspected drugs seized following traffic stop
A traffic stop by officers with the Manitoulin detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) with assistance from the UCCM Anishnaabe Police Service (UCCM APS) has led to drug-related charges for three M’Chigeeng First Nation individuals.
On Monday, September 8 at approximately 11 am, officers from the Manitoulin detachment of the OPP were alerted by the automated licence plate recognition (ALPR) system to a wanted person associated with a passing vehicle. The vehicle was stopped on Highway 551 in M’Chigeeng First Nation. An investigation was initiated by the Manitoulin OPP with assistance from the UCCM APS. As a result, three people were arrested.
Additionally, police seized an amount of suspected cocaine with an estimated street value of $11,400, an amount of suspected crack cocaine with an estimated street value of $3,200, and approximately $650 in Canadian currency.
The driver, Joseph Migwans, 28 years old from M’Chigeeng First Nation, was charged with: two counts of possession of a schedule 1 substance for the purpose of trafficking cocaine, possession of a schedule one substance for the purpose of trafficking other drugs, possession of proceeds obtained by crime under $5,000, failure to comply with release order.
The accused appeared before the Ontario Justice Bail Court on September 9 and remains in custody.
A passenger, Bonita Taibossigai, 58, from M’Chigeeng was charged with two counts possession of a schedule one substance for the purpose of trafficking cocaine, possession of a schedule one substance, cocaine, possession of a schedule one substance for the purpose of trafficking other drugs, possession of proceeds obtained by crime under $5,000.
A second passenger, Maria Hare, 26, from M’Chigeeng, was charged with two counts of possession of a schedule one substance for the purpose of trafficking cocaine, possession of a schedule one substance- cocaine, possession of a schedule one substance for the purpose of trafficking other drugs, possession of proceeds obtained by crime under $5,000.
The accused is scheduled to appear before the Ontario court of justice in Gore Bay on October 7.
WTPS joins provincial bail compliance dashboard to strengthen community safety
Wikwemikong Tribal Police Service (WTPS) is now part of the OPP Provincial Bail Compliance Dashboard (PBCD), a tool that helps track and share information about individuals released on bail for firearms-related offences.
“This tool is an important step forward in our ongoing commitment to community safety,” said Police Chief Ron Gignac of WTPS. “By being part of the (PBCD), our officers gain access to real-time information and can work more closely with other police services. It means we’re better prepared to prevent crime and protect our community.”
By joining the dashboard, WTPS is working alongside other police services across Ontario, including the OPP, Guelph Police Service, York Regional Police, Peel Regional Police and Toronto Police Service to improve bail compliance and keep communities safe.
The dashboard brings together data from across jurisdictions, giving officers the ability to monitor high-risk offenders more effectively and ensure bail conditions are being followed. It is part of Ontario’s $112 million investment to strengthen bail enforcement and reduce violent crime.
“The provincial bail compliance dashboard complements and enhances our own offender management program, which was been in place since March 2025,” said Chief Gignac. “Together, these tools give our officers a stronger ability to track offenders, enforce conditions, and safeguard the people of Wiikwemkoong.”
The dashboard is one of several initiatives under Ontario’s broader public safety strategy, which also includes the Bail Compliance and Warrant Apprehension Grant, the OPP’s Bail Compliance Unit within the Provincial Repeat Offender Parole Enforcement Squad, and the Serious Violent Crime Bail teams that operate within the court system.
