Category: Niagara

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Niagara OPP Police Press Releases

Million Dollar Weed & Tobacco Bust

(NIAGARA, ON) – Six illegal cannabis storefronts have been closed after enforcement action by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP)-led Provincial Joint Forces Cannabis Enforcement Team (PJFCET) in Niagara and the surrounding area. The illegal cannabis products and contraband tobacco seized have a value of approximately $1 million.

On June 5, 2024, members from the OPP-led PJFCET, OPP Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau, OPP Provincial Asset Forfeiture Unit, with assistance from the Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) uniform members and NRPS Emergency Task Unit members, executed nine search warrants in the Niagara area, with a focus on shutting down six storefronts operating illegally under the name “Indige Smoke” located in Hamilton, Fort Erie, Thorold, Welland, St. Catharines and Leamington. “Indige Smoke” was not authorized by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) to sell cannabis or cannabis products. These illegal storefronts will be held under Interim Closure Orders as per section 18(1) of the Cannabis Control Act (CCA).

Persons with interest in any of the locations (including owners) who wish to enter these premises may apply to the Superior Court of Justice to get permission under section 18(4) of the CCA. Anyone who enters the buildings that are subject to interim closure may be arrested and charged with Break and Enter, under section 348(1) of the Criminal Code (CC). 

As a result of the search warrants, the following items were seized:

  • More than $640,000 in illegal cannabis and illegal cannabis products
  • More than $350,000 in contraband tobacco
  • Approximately $29,000 CAD currency
  • Three handguns
  • One shotgun
  • Ammunition
  • Approximately two ounces of suspected cocaine
  • Digital scales
  • Computers
  • Cell phones
  • Video surveillance systems

Eleven individuals were arrested and charged with 34 offences contrary to the CC, the Cannabis Act and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Please refer to the Addendum of Charged Persons for a full list. The accused were released from custody and will appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in St. Catharines on July 18, 2024.

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Niagara OPP Police Press Releases WFP

OPP Seize $8,000,000 In Weed: Trudeau & Ford Weren’t Getting A Cut #FillOutYourPaperWork

(NIAGARA, ON) – A search warrant conducted by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP)-led Provincial Joint Forces Cannabis Enforcement Team (PJFCET) has resulted in the seizure of cannabis plants with a potential street value of approximately $8 million.

This investigation began after police became aware of a strong cannabis odour emitting from what appeared to be an abandoned warehouse located on Don Murie Street in Niagara Falls.

Upon executing the search warrant on April 17, 2024, the following items were seized:

  • More than 2,500 clone cannabis plants
  • More than 13,000 vegetative and mature budding cannabis plants

As a result of this investigation, the following individuals have been charged under the Cannabis Act with Production- Cultivate Cannabis Without Authorization:

  • Chamrong LADADAS, 49 of no fixed address
  • Arthit SEESAI, 31 of no fixed address
  • Xueqi GAO, 59 of no fixed address
  • Jeffrey LIAN, 41 of no fixed address
  • Li Cheng FENG, 58 of no fixed address
  •  Wen Guang ZHENG, 66 of Markham

The suspects were released from custody and will appear before an Ontario Court of Justice in St. Catharines on May 30, 2024.

This investigation was supported by:

  • OPP West Region Emergency Response Team
  • OPP Urban Search and Rescue, Chemical, Biological, Radioactive, Nuclear and Explosive Response Team
  • OPP-led Provincial Asset Forfeiture Unit
  • Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS)

This investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with any information about the production of unauthorized or illegal cannabis is urged to call OPP at 1-888-310-1122, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), or to visit ontariocrimestoppers.ca.

About PJFCET

The PJFCET is an OPP-led joint forces operation that includes members of the Barrie Police Service, NRPS, Durham Regional Police Service, Coburg Police Service, London Police Service and Windsor Police Service. The PJFCET’s role is to enforce and investigate illicit cannabis incidents and focus on the apprehension of those who produce, sell, distribute, import/export and use cannabis outside of the parameters of the law.

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Niagara OPP Police Press Releases

Police Close 3 Business and Confiscate $230,000 In Weed – “Government” Wasn’t Getting A Cut

(NIAGARA REGION, ON) – The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP)-led Provincial Joint Forces Cannabis Enforcement Team (PJFCET) seized illicit cannabis and contraband tobacco products with a potential street value of more than $230,000, resulting in the closure of three illegal storefronts in the Niagara Region.

On March 7, 2024, PJFCET executed three search warrants in the City of Thorold, the City of Welland and the Town of Fort Erie, on storefronts that were not authorized by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (ACGO) to sell cannabis or cannabis products.

As a result of the search warrants, police seized approximately:

  • 91.5 kilograms of dried cannabis
  • 695 pre-rolled cannabis cigarettes
  • 720 grams of cannabis extract
  • 2,065 packages of cannabis edibles
  • 915 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) vape pens
  • two kilograms of hashish
  • 173,800 tobacco cigarettes
  • 420 tobacco cigars
  • cell phones, computers and other electronics
  • $4,700 in Canadian currency

Three people have been arrested and charged contrary to the CC, and the Cannabis Act (CA).

Nikola GARALEJIC, age 26, of Niagara Falls, has been charged with:

  • Possession of property obtained by crime, section 354(1)(a) CC
  • Trafficking contraband tobacco, section 121.1 CC
  • Possess cannabis for the purpose of selling, section 10(2) CA

Anoop RARICHAN, age 28, of Thorold, has been charged with:

  • Possession of property obtained by crime, section 354(1)(a) CC
  • Trafficking contraband tobacco, section 121.1 CC
  • Possess cannabis for the purpose of selling, section 10(2) CA

David SAULT, age 38, of Burford, has been charged with:

  • Possession of property obtained by crime, section 354(1)(a) CC
  • Possess cannabis for the purpose of selling, section 10(2) CA

The accused have been released from custody and are scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in April 2024.

The investigation, which remains ongoing, was supported by the Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) and the Contraband Tobacco Enforcement Team (CTET).

Anyone with information regarding the illegal sale of cannabis should immediately contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 and ask to provide information to the PJFCET. Should you wish to remain anonymous, you may contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or ontariocrimestoppers.ca.

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