North Bay Police has laid 39 drug and weapon related charges after investigating a suspicious incident.
At approximately 1 p.m. on May 20, 2026, the North Bay Police Service responded to a suspicious incident after a victim was abandoned in the 1700 block of Algonquin Avenue in North Bay. As the investigation progressed, investigators identified the suspect vehicle. At approximately 6:30 p.m. on May 20, officers conducted a high-risk traffic stop on Highway 11 in the Bracebridge area. Two suspects were arrested without incident. A subsequent search resulted in the seizure of suspected illicit drugs and a firearm. The investigation continued to identify and locate the outstanding accused, who was arrested on June 25, 2026, in the York Region.
A subsequent search led to the seizure of:
- Glock hand gun
- Ammunition
- Controlled substances with an estimated street value of $5,724 including:
o 8 grams Crystal Methamphetamine
o 17 grams Fentanyl
o 12 grams Cocaine
o 2 grams Crack Cocaine
- $600 Canadian Currency
“This investigation demonstrates the teamwork between police services that is necessary to combat this type of crime. Criminals do not operate within jurisdictional borders, and law enforcement interagency cooperation, teamwork, and communication are of the utmost importance when dealing with this type of multijurisdictional criminal behaviour in order to keep our communities safe, locally, provincially, and nationally,” said Inspector McFarlane of the NBPS. “Thanks to the quick response to the call for service and the strong support of our policing partners, three people have been arrested and are now facing charges. We thank everyone involved for their hard work and commitment to this investigation.”
Amir Hessami, 21-year-old male, of York Region, has been charged with:
- Pointing a Firearm
- Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose
- Careless Storage of a Firearm, Weapon, Prohibited Device or Ammunition
- Unauthorized Possession of Firearm
- Knowledge of Unauthorized Possession of Firearm
- Possession of Firearm or Ammunition Contrary to Prohibition Order
- Fail to Comply with Probation Order
The second co-accused, Mustansir Ranalawala, 23-year-old male, of Mississauga, has been charged with:
- Pointing a Firearm
- Two Counts of Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose
- Three Counts of Careless Storage of a Firearm, Weapon, Prohibited Device or Ammunition
- Two Counts of Unauthorized Possession of Firearm
- Knowledge of Unauthorized Possession of Firearm
- Fail to Comply with Probation Order
- Possession of Proceeds of Property Obtained by Crime Under $5,000
- Occupant of a Motor Vehicle Knowing there was a Firearm
- Possession of a Schedule I Substance for the Purpose of Trafficking – Methamphetamine
- Possession of a Schedule I Substance for the Purpose of Trafficking – Opioid
- Two Counts of Possession of a Schedule I Substance for the Purpose of Trafficking – Cocaine
The third co-accused, Cooper Williams, 25-year-old male, of Mississauga, has been charged with:
- Pointing a Firearm
- Two Counts of Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose
- Three Counts of Careless Storage of a Firearm, Weapon, Prohibited Device or Ammunition
- Two Counts of Unauthorized Possession of Firearm
- Knowledge of Unauthorized Possession of Firearm
- Two Counts of Possession of Proceeds of Property Obtained by Crime Under $5,000
- Occupant of a Motor Vehicle Knowing there was a Firearm
- Possession of a Schedule I Substance for the Purpose of Trafficking – Methamphetamine
- Possession of a Schedule I Substance for the Purpose of Trafficking – Opioid
- Two Counts of Possession of a Schedule I Substance for the Purpose of Trafficking – Cocaine
The three co-accused were arrested and held in custody pending a bail hearing.
North Bay Police units involved in the investigation included the Criminal Investigation Section, Street Crime Unit, Patrol Section, Emergency Response Team, and Forensic Identification Unit. The NBPS would also like to thank the Ontario Provincial Police Central Region, as well as the York Regional Police Service for their assistance in this investigation.
