Police dismantle large-scale cannabis operations

REGIONAL — On May 5 at 8:00 a.m., the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP)-led Provincial Joint Force Cannabis Enforcement Team (PJFCET) executed five Cannabis Act search warrants at three greenhouse locations and two residences on County Road 34 and County Road 31 in Kingsville and Seacliff Drive West in Leamington.

PJFCET, members of the Essex County Detachment, Essex County Crime Unit, OPP Regional Community Street Crime Units (CSCU), along with members of the OPP Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau (OCEB) members of the Emergency Response Team (ERT) and the Provincial Operations Intelligence Bureau (POIB) seized just over 20,000 cannabis plants, over 1400 pounds of processed cannabis, a quantity of Canadian currency and marijuana processing equipment.

The total value of seized cannabis is estimated to be over $18 million dollars.

A 34-year-old from Mississauga is charged with possessing Cannabis for the purpose of selling under section 10(2) of the Cannabis Act, cultivate, propagate or harvest any cannabis plant at a place that is not their dwelling-house, section 12(6) (a) (three counts), and possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime under $5000-Criminal Code of Canada 354(1)(a).

In addition, 18 other individuals are are charged under the Cannabis Act with possessing cannabis for the purpose of selling, section 10(2) and cultivate, propagate or harvest any cannabis plant at a place that is not their dwelling-house, section 12(6) (a).

Twelve of these individuals hold a Kingsville address, while two are from Scarborough, one from Markham, one from North York, one from Leamington and one from Wheatley.

The accused will appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Leamington at a later date.

The investigation is ongoing. The PJFCET is responsible for enforcing the cannabis laws and investigating criminal enterprises that exploit or abuse the legal cannabis market.

“The proliferation of illegal marijuana grow operations, as evidenced by this recent significant seizure in Leamington and Kingsville, demonstrates the resolve by criminal enterprise groups to profit from illegal activity,” said OPP Essex County Detachment Commander, Glenn Mill. “To those individuals or groups who continue to profit from these illegal grow operations, the OPP will relentlessly pursue your interests, seize your property and introduce you into the criminal justice system.”