Nine people are facing 36 drug-related charges in a bust of what police say is Saint John's most significant crime group.

In the culmination of a year-long RCMP-led investigation, police in the Saint John-area seized $250,000 worth of cocaine and marijuana.

Stephane Eden and Allen Albert are facing charges of possession and trafficking in cocaine.

Seven others are expected to face charges including drug production and conspiracy to traffic.

Police seized 1.3 kilograms of cocaine and 2.7 kilograms pounds of marijuana from homes and vehicles in the Saint John area during the investigation, dubbed Operation June Bug.

A marijuana grow-op was also discovered on the Kingston peninsula.

Sgt. McEachern said the group was well organized, but it couldn't elude the joint investigation executed by RCMP and local police forces in Rothesay and Saint John.

"At some point, they have to put their product on the road. It has to get from Point A to Point B," he said.

"At some point, they have to talk about it somewhere on the telephone or in a meeting of some kind."

The RCMP showed off some of the evidence collected in the investigation at a news conference on Tuesday, including a cocaine press, a few shotguns and a dozen large evidence bags filled with marijuana and cocaine.

According to police, some of the cocaine was transported from Toronto to Saint John.

Darrell Scribner, a police inspector with the Saint John police, said cracking this major crime group will keep the city safer but that the work is far from over.

"We've certainly taken these drugs off the street, but unfortunately, when there's a void, someone often fills that void," he said.