NEWS RELEASE
NIAGARA REGIONAL POLICE SERVICE
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In December of 2024, a local business in the City of Niagara Falls contacted the Niagara Regional Police to report the discovery of controlled substances in the ceiling tiles of their bathroom. Police attended the business and discovered:
- 1373.7 grams of fentanyl (estimated street value of $100,000)
- 22 Hydromorphone pills (estimated street value $220)
Members of the 2 District (Niagara Falls/Niagara-on-the-Lake) Street Crime Unit with the Niagara Regional Police Service took carriage of the investigation and identified the owner of the controlled substance.
On Feb. 13, 2025, after attempting to flea on foot, the suspect was arrested. Search incident to arrest led officers to discover and seize the following:
- 29.4 grams of fentanyl (estimated street value of $2,000)
- 139.8 grams of cocaine (estimated street value of $10,000)
- 198.8 grams of crystal methamphetamine (estimated street value of $6,000)
- 347 hydromorphone pills (estimated street value of $3470)
- $1,016 of Canadian Currency
- 3 cell phones
Obeida Samara (22 years old) of Thorold was arrested and charged with the following Criminal offences:
- Possession of a Schedule I Substance for the purpose of trafficking (eight counts)
- Traffic a controlled substance
- Possession of proceeds obtained by crime under
Obeida was held in custody pending a bail hearing that is expected to take place on Feb. 14, 2025 at the Robert S.K. Welch Courthouse located at 59 Church Street in the City of St. Catharines.
A second suspect was also arrested as a result of the investigation.
Hiyam Samara (64 years old) of Thorold was arrested and charged with the following Criminal offences:
- Possession of a Schedule I Substance for the purpose of trafficking (eight counts)
- Traffic a controlled substance
- Possession of Proceeds obtained by crime under
Hiyam was held in custody pending a bail hearing that is expected to take place on Feb. 14, 2025 at the Robert S.K. Welch Courthouse located at 59 Church Street in the City of St. Catharines.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the investigating officers by calling 905-688-4111, option 3, extension 1009667.
Members of the public who wish to provide information anonymously can contact Crime Stoppers of Niagara online or by calling 1-800-222-8477. Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards to persons who contact the program with information which leads to an arrest.
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