Three Arrested, Two Guns Seized in Separate Police Investigations Near Pearson Airport

Three individuals were arrested and two firearms were confiscated during two separate roadside police investigations near Toronto Pearson Airport in Mississauga last weekend.

According to police, the arrests and seizures were carried out by officers from the Peel Regional Police Strategic Tactical Enforcement Policing (STEP) team, who were on proactive patrol. The STEP unit is dedicated to removing illegal firearms from the streets and apprehending violent offenders in Mississauga and Brampton.

In the first incident, which occurred just before 10:30 p.m. on Friday near Shawson Drive and Atlantic Drive, officers stopped a vehicle and arrested two men. A firearm was recovered at the scene.

The suspects, 29-year-old Vincent Chang of Newmarket and 23-year-old Hidaya Bouzrara of Toronto, face multiple charges, including:

Possession of a controlled substance (cocaine)

Unauthorized possession of a firearm

Possession of a loaded prohibited or restricted firearm

Knowledge of unauthorized possession of a firearm

Occupying a vehicle with a firearm inside

Careless storage of a firearm, weapon, prohibited device, or ammunition

Tampering with a firearm serial number

Both individuals were held in custody pending a bail hearing.

In a second incident late Saturday night near Torbram and Drew Roads, police stopped another vehicle and arrested one man, seizing another firearm.

Jae-Quonne Hamilton, 24, of Toronto, was charged with:

Possession of a weapon contrary to a court order

Unauthorized possession of a firearm

Possession of a prohibited firearm with ammunition

Knowledge of unauthorized possession of a firearm

Occupying a vehicle with a firearm inside

Carrying a concealed weapon

Police noted Hamilton was in violation of a firearms prohibition at the time of his arrest. He remains in custody awaiting a bail hearing.

Authorities are asking anyone with information about these cases to contact Peel police at 905-453-2121, ext. 3504, or anonymously through Peel Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Since its formation in 2007, the STEP team—comprising 16 specialized officers—has focused on cracking down on illegal firearms and violent crime in the region. In 2024, Peel police reported a record 205 illegal firearms seized in Mississauga and Brampton, with 53 of those confiscated by the STEP unit—more than double its total from the year prior and triple its 2022 figure.

Police believe the vast majority of these firearms were smuggled into Ontario from the United States.

STEP officers often operate undercover in areas with high rates of gang, gun, and drug activity, engaging in proactive patrols to boost police presence and improve community safety.

“STEP officers are deployed to areas with the highest concentration of firearm and gang activity,” said Peel police. “Their primary mission is to seize illegal firearms and arrest violent repeat offenders,” added Deputy Chief Nick Milinovich.