Investigation into violent street gang nets 24 arrests in Halton, Hamilton & Niagara

A major investigation into a violent Hamilton street gang has resulted in 24 arrests on a total of 172 charges.

On Nov. 26, Hamilton Police announced Project Churchill, a large investigation which also included Halton Police, the OPP and the Criminal Intelligence Service of Ontario.

Hamilton Police noted a rise in violent crime in the city since 2019, which they attributed to the emergence of a group calling themselves the Hot Mali Squad. The investigation linked the Squad to various crimes including drug trafficking, robberies, daytime shootings and homicides.

The group has contributed to the record-breaking rash of shootings in the city this year. So far, there have been 58 shootings in Hamilton far more than in previous years.

• 2020 – 51 shootings
• 2021 – 39 shootings
• 2022 – 45 shootings
• 2023 – 35 shootings
• 2024 – 58 (as of Nov. 26)

The recent violence led to the creation of a Shooting Response Team, designed specifically to investigate non-fatal shootings. The team launched as a pilot project but has since become permanent. Of this year’s shootings, 50 were still under investigation as of last month.

Meanwhile, the Hot Mali Squad also also expanded. While based primarily in Hamilton, they’ve spread to Brantford, Halton, Toronto and Waterloo.

“Targeting this violent street gang was crucial in addressing the surge in Hamilton shootings because this group acted at the epicentre of gun violence, fueling fear, instability, and harm in the community,” said Hamilton Police Chief Frank Bergen.

The Hot Mali Squad quickly established itself, police say, and built strong ties to the Dirty South, an offshoot to Bahamian street gang One Order. The Dirty South has been connected to smuggling guns into Canada from the United States.

After a lengthy investigation, police raided 17 locations in Hamilton, Niagara Falls, St. Catharines and London. In total 24 people were arrested, 172 charges were laid, 14 firearms were seized, as well as 880 grams of cocaine, and 1.2 kilograms of fentanyl. One person is still wanted and three of the accused are also wanted in the Bahamas.

The suspects include:

• Moustapha Abdallah, 20 of Hamilton
  • five counts of trafficking fentanyl
• Abi Abdullahi-Salah, 24 of Hamilton
  • knowledge of an unauthorized possession of a firearm
  • reckless discharge of a firearm
  • discharge of a firearm with intent
  • possession of a loaded restricted or prohibited firearm
  • two counts of failure to comply with an undertaking
  • failure to comply with a release order
• Tareq Alawad, 28 of St. Catharines
  • trafficking fentanyl
  • possession of a prohibited weapon
• Issa Bechir, 24 of Hamilton
  • Two counts of trafficking cocaine
  • Federal parolee
• Terry Blanchette, 57 of London
  • trafficking fentanyl
  • trafficking cocaine
  • possession of the proceeds of crime under $5,000
• Trey Claybourne, 30 of London
  • trafficking fentanyl
  • trafficking cocaine
• Rashad Cooper, 36 of the Bahamas
  • trafficking firearms
  • conspiracy to commit an indictable offence
  • knowledge of unauthorized possession of a loaded firearm
  • three counts of knowledge of unauthorized possession of a weapon
  • six counts of possession of a loaded prohibited firearm
  • assault (domestic)
  • breaching bail (Bahamas)
• Nathaniel Davidson, 39 of London
  • possession of a loaded prohibited firearm
  • possession of a prohibited weapon
  • trafficking cocaine
  • possession of the proceeds of crime over $5,000
  • five counts of possession of a firearm contrary to a court order
• Sirak Solomon Eskias, 22 of Hamilton
  • three counts of trafficking firearms
  • possession of a loaded prohibited firearm
  • two counts of knowledge of unauthorized possession of a loaded firearm
  • two counts of conspiracy to commit an indictable offence
  • 14 counts of trafficking cocaine
  • 11 counts of trafficking fentanyl
  • operation while prohibited
  • two counts of uttering threats
• Dushaun Gray, 30 of Hamilton
  • trafficking cocaine
  • possession for trafficking cocaine
• Yared Kidane, 18 of Hamilton
  • possession for the purpose of trafficking fentanyl
• Devon Deon Laing, 29 of the Bahamas
  • conspiracy to commit an indictable offence
  • attempted murder (Bahamas)
• Ryan MacDonald, 37 of London
  • possession of a loaded prohibited firearm
  • two counts of possession of a prohibited weapon
  • possession of a firearm contrary to a court order
• Robert Mader, 41 of the Bahamas
  • conspiracy to commit an indictable offence
  • possession of a prohibited weapon
  • possession of the proceeds of crime under $5,000
• Cathy Mingo, 62 from Hamilton
  • conspiracy to commit an indictable offence
  • possession of a prohibited weapon
  • possession of proceeds of crime under $5,000
• Nawal Mohammed, 18 of Hamilton
  • trafficking fentanyl
  • trafficking cocaine
  • possession of proceeds of crime over $5,000
• Ahmed Osman, 20 of Hamilton
  • knowledge of unauthorized possession of a loaded firearm
  • robbery
  • four counts of trafficking fentanyl
  • two counts of trafficking methamphetamine
  • trafficking cocaine
  • trafficking opioids
  • trafficking other drugs
• Lisa Seabrook, 47 of London
  • trafficking fentanyl
  • trafficking cocaine
• Mazin Sharaf, 22 of Hamilton
  • two counts of trafficking fentanyl
  • trafficking Cocaine
  • possession of proceeds of crime over $5,000
• Eric Hilton Stuart, 35 of the Bahamas
  • trafficking firearms
  • possession of a loaded prohibited firearm
  • knowledge of unauthorized possession of a loaded firearm
  • possession of dangerous drugs (Bahamas)
• Marthide Wagnac, 31 of Miami, Florida
  • trafficking firearms
  • six counts of possession of a loaded prohibited firearm
  • knowledge of unauthorized possession of a firearm
  • three counts of knowledge of unauthorized possession of a weapon
  • conspiracy to commit an indictable offence
• Sabrina Waite, 29 of Hamilton
  • possession of a loaded prohibited firearm
  • two counts of possession of a prohibited firearm
• Vada Warrick, 28 of St. Catharines
  • trafficking fentanyl
  • possession of a prohibited weapon
• Filimon Embafrash Weldearegay, 24 of Hamilton
  • three counts of trafficking firearms
  • five counts of possession of a loaded prohibited firearm
  • two counts of knowledge of unauthorized possession of a loaded firearm
  • conspiracy to commit an indictable offence
  • 11 counts of trafficking cocaine
  • 13 counts of trafficking fentanyl
  • failure to comply with a court order
• A girl, 17 of Hamilton
  • two counts of trafficking fentanyl

One final suspect remains at large.

• Corey Salter, 39 of Hamilton, is wanted for
  • trafficking fentanyl
  • trafficking methamphetamine

The organization police allege these suspects belong to makes their money through the sale of drugs and illegal weapons. Largely these suspects lived in highrise apartments within assigned “turfs” police said. The neighbourhood included Barton Street to Main Street and Queen Street to James Street.

“The brazen nature of these shootings reflects a troubling trend: firearms are increasingly in the hands of criminals, fueling a reckless disregard for human life.” said Deputy Chief Ryan Diodati, “The indiscriminate and frequent use of guns not only endangers our community but also underscores the urgent need to address the sources of this deadly supply.”

“The firearms seized in this investigation are crime guns. They are not firearms legally obtained by responsible gun owners. They are obtained illegally with the intent to be used in criminal offences or trafficked to people who intend to use them in criminal offences, said OPP Acting Detective Superintendent Lee Fulford, “The OPP-led Provincial Weapons Enforcement Unit and our partners will continue to work together to remove illegal firearms from our communities and pursue anyone involved in trafficking illegal weapons in the Province of Ontario.”