RCMP probe into drugs, human trafficking lands second conviction
A 2 1/2-year RCMP investigation into drugs and human trafficking in this province has resulted in a second man being convicted and sentenced.
Twenty-five-year-old Eric Mello pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine for the purpose of trafficking and, last month, was handed an 18-month conditional sentence at St. John’s provincial court.
Mello is the second person charged in the investigation, dubbed Project Badminton. In April 2024, Dominic Delisle was given a seven-year prison term for charges related to guns, drugs and receiving financial benefit from sexual services.
The probe began in 2023 and lasted 30 months. It was conducted by the RCMP federal policing-eastern region, which targets criminal activity involving national security, trans-national and serious organized crime and cybercrime throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.