Peel police seized one firearm every 36 hours in 2024.
A January traffic stop in Mississauga conducted by Peel Police’s Strategic Tactical Enforcement Policing Team (STEP) program has led to multiple firearms charges. It’s just the latest news of the program’s growing success in getting guns off the streets, after the force marked last year as their most successful to date.
At approximately 6:30pm on Jan. 18, at the intersection of City Centre Dr. and Hurontario St,. near Square One in Mississauga, Peel Police found a loaded firearm in a car driven by 22 year-old Nathanyal- Xavier Bell, of no fixed address. Bell was charged with 7 criminal offences and 2 offences under the Cannabis Control Act and Liquor Licence Act.
He was held pending a bail hearing in the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton. The arrest and firearm seizure comes as a result of the STEP program, a proactive policing initiative targeting guns and gangs in Mississauga and Brampton. Originally founded in 2007 with funding from the Ontario government, the STEP program received a further boost of $1.5 million over 3 years in 2022.
Speaking in December, Chief Nishan Duraiappah pointed to the growing success of the STEP program, with 2024 considered their best year to date. Last year, Peel Police seized approximately one firearm every 36 hours. “Addressing gun and gang violence is a top priority for our service,” Chief Nish said in a Peel Police News Release.
In 2024 the STEP team seized 53 illegal firearms, 63 magazines and 915 rounds of ammunition. Of the 41 guns that were successfully traced, all were found to have originated in the United States.
Alongside the weapons seizures, police made 50 arrests and laid Peel police say 2024 best year to date for STEP program 461 criminal code charges and 40 drug-related charges. Out of those 50 people arrested, 15 were out on bail and 31 had previous convictions.
