Two arrested, fentanyl and crack cocaine seized

NEWS RELEASE
THUNDER BAY POLICE SERVICE
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Police arrested two suspects and seized fentanyl, crack cocaine, and other drugs with a total potential street value of $172,000 Tuesday.

Members of the TBPS’s Intelligence Unit, with assistance from the OPP's Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau, executed a search warrant at a residential address in the 1400 block of Frederica Street West at about 10:50 p.m. on Tuesday, March 2. The warrant was a result of an ongoing investigation into drug trafficking activity in the city.

As a result of their search officers located and seized a significant quantity of fentanyl, cash believed to be approximately $15,000CAD, and paraphernalia consistent with drug trafficking.

Prior to the search of the home, police located and arrested two suspects connected to this drug trafficking investigation.

The suspects were arrested following a traffic stop at the corner of James and Isabella Streets just after 6:20 p.m. At the time of the arrest the suspects were in possession of a quantity of suspected fentanyl, a quantity of suspected crack cocaine, cash, and Percocet pills.

The estimated potential street value of drugs seized totals more than $172,000.

Michael Erik BENGTSSON, 40, of Thunder Bay, is charged with:

- Possession of Cocaine for the Purpose of Trafficking
- Possession of Fentanyl for the Purpose of Trafficking
- Possession of Oxycodone for the Purpose of Trafficking

Jacob Byron FRANTZEN, 25, of Toronto, is charged with:

- Possession of Cocaine for the Purpose of Trafficking
- Possession of Fentanyl for the Purpose of Trafficking
- Possession of Oxycodone for the Purpose of Trafficking
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Over $5,000
- Breach of Probation x 3

Further investigation revealed FRANTZEN was in violation of court-ordered conditions not to be in the City of Thunder Bay. Those conditions came as a result of drug-trafficking charges laid by the Thunder Bay Police Service in 2020.

Both accused appeared in bail court on March 3, 2021 and were remanded into custody with future appearance dates.