Toronto Police have arrested three men from the Halifax-area after a series of raids across Ontario in connection with a violent street gang allegedly linked to several homicides and gun trafficking.

Toronto police inspector Bryan Bott said the gang is called ‘Heart of a King’ but evolved from a gang in Halifax known as ‘North Preston's Finest.’

In a news conference in Toronto Friday morning, Bott said 53 people have been arrested since their investigation began in January, including 32 in Thursday's raids, which saw more than 600 officers search 43 locations in Ontario.

Police have laid 285 charges so far as part of the investigation, many of them related to drugs or weapons.

“It speaks to the tools this gang uses for their day-to-day business,” said Chief Mark Saunders of the Toronto Police Service.

Police seized 17 firearms, body armour, drugs and $45,000 in cash in the raids.

“They lived a lifestyle where they feared being shot, and so they will have vests. And this is just another case where we have vests, and guns, and drugs,” added Chief Saunders. “These types of lifestyles are always short-lived.”

The gang has been significantly "impacted by these investigative efforts and any members of the group and any associates will be prosecuted," Bott said.

The raid across Ontario this week included charges of three Halifax-area men: 19-year-old Denzell Desmond from Halifax, 23-year-old Mitchel Mannetteof Dartmouth, and 20-year-old Shontez Skinner-Dechamp of Dartmouth.

In early May, Desmond and Mannette were arrested in Toronto and charged with first degree murder of 25-year-old Charles Shillingford. He died of a single gunshot wound in downtown Toronto on October 31st, 2015.

Denzell Desmond is facing charges of:

·         First degree murder

·         Conspiracy to commit an indictable offence (Weapons trafficking)

·         Conspiracy to commit an indictable offence (Marijuana trafficking)

Mitchel Mannette is facing charges of:

·         First degree murder

·         Conspiracy to commit an indict offence (Weapons trafficking)

Shontez Skinner-Dechamp is facing chages of:

·         Careless storage of a firearm, weapon, and  prohibited device of ammunition

·         Possession of a firearm knowing its possession is unauthorized

·         Possession of a firearm knowing a serial number has been tampered with

·         Possession of a loaded prohibited or restricted firearm

·         Possession of a firearm or ammunition contrary to prohibition order

·         Unauthorized possession of  a firearm

·         2 x unauthorized possession of prohibited device or ammunition

They said the guns will be tested to see if they are linked to other crimes.

Halifax Regional Police say while Toronto Police are leading the investigation, a single vehicle was seized in Halifax on Friday in relation to the investigation.

The investigation continues and Bott said further charges are expected.

With files from The Canadian Press and CTV Atlantic's Amanda Debison