In early 2025, Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) detectives assigned to 2 District (Niagara Falls/Niagara-on-the-Lake) Street Crime Unit (SCU) commenced an investigation into the distribution of illegal drugs in the City of Niagara Falls.
During the investigation detectives observed a male displaying behaviour consistent with drug trafficking outside a commercial business. As a result, the male was arrested and discovered to be in possession of a quantity of fentanyl, hydromorphone, and Canadian currency.
On Wednesday, March 5, 2025, detectives received judicial authorization to execute a Controlled Drugs and Substances Act search warrant at a Niagara Falls motel room.
As a result of the investigation police arrested two individuals and seized the following:
– 140 grams of suspected fentanyl (value $11,000)
– 38 suspected tablets of hydromorphone (value $380)
– $1820 in Canadian Currency
Gerald CAINES (55 years) of St. Catharines has been arrested and charged with the following criminal offences:
– Possession of fentanyl for the purpose of trafficking (2 Counts)
– Possession of hydromorphone for the purpose of trafficking
– Trafficking in fentanyl
– Possession of property obtained by crime under $5000
– Fail to comply with release order (2 Counts)
Emnuela BARTOLINI (55 years) of Niagara Falls has been arrested and charged with the following criminal offences:
– Possession of fentanyl for the purpose of trafficking
BARTOLINI was released of a Form 9 Promise to Appear with a future court date. CAINES was held in custody and is scheduled to attend the Robert S.K. Welch Courthouse, located at 59 Church Street in the City of St. Catharines on Thursday, March 6, 2025.
Anyone with information about this investigation is asked to contact detectives at 905-688-4111, dial option #3, extension #1009667.
Members of the public who wish to provide information anonymously are encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers of Niagara online or by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards to persons who contact the program with information that leads to an arrest.
Incident #25-23072