Yukon RCMP arrest man allegedly involved in organized crime, seize guns and drugs
Taylor Duke faces 25 charges including attempted murder and others related to drugs and organized crime
Yukon RCMP have arrested a man who was wanted since last year on several drug and organized crime-related charges.
Police say they arrested Taylor Duke of Whitehorse on Thursday morning while executing a search warrant in the Takhini Hot Springs Road area outside Whitehorse. The search was related to a shooting that happened in Whitehorse on July 10 that police had said was believed to be a targeted incident.
They also seized a collection of 11 shotguns, rifles, handguns, and other illegal firearms, ammunition and high-capacity magazines, quantities of drugs that appear to include Xanax, cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, hundreds of unidentified capsules, as well as $163,887 in cash.
"The drugs and firearms seized through this investigation represent a significant disruption to drug trafficking and potential violence in our territory," said RCMP Supt. Lindsay Ellis, speaking Wednesday at a news conference. The seized goods lay spread out on a table before her.
"Just the guns and drugs seized from this one residence demonstrates the real danger that is in our communities. Substance use in communities goes hand in hand with drug trafficking and organized crime."
Duke is now facing 25 criminal charges.
Before last week's arrest, he was the subject of arrest warrants for failing to attend court last December and again in March. He was facing several charges, including possession for the purpose of trafficking, participating in a criminal organization, and committing an offence for a criminal organization.
Duke had been arrested in June 2022 along with several others after police searched two Whitehorse residences and seized more guns, drugs and cash.
At the time, police touted the bust as one of the largest seizures of fentanyl in the Yukon. They also said it was likely the first time that anybody in Yukon had been charged under section 467.1 of the Criminal Code, which deals with organized crime.
Duke also now faces several new charges related to a shooting in Whitehorse last month, including attempted murder with a firearm and unauthorized possession of a firearm.
Police said more charges were expected to be laid in relation to last week's search warrant.