A Mississauga man is facing 100 firearm and drug charges after a police investigation and search of his home and vehicle, Toronto police announced on Wednesday.

The man, 50, was arrested in his SUV and charged on Sunday, Feb. 24. He appeared in a Toronto courtroom on Monday, Feb. 25. He is due to appear for a show cause hearing on Thursday in Old City Hall. He is known to police.

In all, police seized seven handguns, three shotguns and six rifles, as well as four kilograms of heroin with a street value of about $400,000 and half an ounce of cocaine.

Insp. Joe Matthews, spokesperson for the police's organized crime enforcement integrated gun and gang task force, said officers found the weapons and drugs after they searched the man's 2018 Toyota Highlander and his home in the Hurontatio Street and Sherobee Road area.

Police haven't proved link to organized crime

"This is not a street level dealer," Matthews told reporters at police headquarters in Toronto on Wednesday.

Twelve weapons were found in his home, while the other weapons and heroin were found in his vehicle. Seven of the firearms, including two handguns, were loaded, he said.

Other people lived at his home but no children, he said, adding it's possible that the other people in the home didn't know about the presence of guns there.

Insp. Joe Matthews, of the organized crime enforcement integrated gun and gang task force, says: 'We haven't linked it, but the reality of it is, when you have this number of firearms, there is some linkage somewhere to organized crime.' (Jonathan Castell/CBC)

Matthews said the gun and gang task force began an investigation late last year into distribution of controlled substances and possession of firearms in the Greater Toronto Area. "Street teams" ran the investigation and the man's arrest was the result.

"It was a short-lived investigation," he said.

"We haven't linked it, but the reality of it is, when you have this number of firearms, there is some linkage somewhere to organized crime. But at this point, we don't have that linkage."

Matthews said there is no co-accused.

"We are still trying to determine exactly who his associates were," he said.

The man has been charged with, among other offences, 29 counts of careless storage of firearms as well as possession for the purpose of trafficking weapons and two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking heroin.