A Thornhill resident is among four people facing multiple charges after more than 1,800 cannabis plants worth more than $1.8 milllion were seized in a provincial joint forces investigation involving locations in Richmond Hill, Markham, Scarborough and North York.
On March 8, members of the Provincial Joint Forces Cannabis Enforcement Team (PJFCET), assisted by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) organized crime enforcement bureau, OPP community street crime units, OPP emergency response teams, Durham Regional Police Service, York Regional Police and the OPP highway safety division, executed seven search warrants across the Greater Toronto Area, according to an OPP news release.
Officers at locations in Richmond Hill, Markham, Scarborough and North York also seized quantities of suspected cocaine, fentanyl, ketamine and psilocybin, as well as a high-end vehicle worth $90,000, watches valued at $40,000, $282,980 Canadian currency and $41,060 in US currency, police said. Investigators also seized phones, laptops, computers and tablets.
The following people have been charged under the Criminal Code (CC), the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) and Cannabis Act (CA).
Xiaozhe Jia, 27, of Thornhill:
• Possession for the purpose of distributing - CA
• Possessing cannabis for the purpose of selling - CA
• Cultivate or harvest cannabis plants - CA
• Possession of a Schedule 1 substance-opioid - CDSA
• Possession of a Schedule 1 substance-cocaine - CDSA
• Possession of a Schedule 3 substance for the purpose of trafficking - CDSA - two counts
• Possession of a Schedule 3 substance - CDSA - two counts
• Possession of a Schedule 1 substance for the purpose of trafficking - CDSA
• Possession of a Schedule 1 substance-ecstasy - CDSA
• Possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime over $5,000 - CC
Chien-Ying Lee, 38, of Scarborough:
• Possession for the purpose of trafficking - CA
• Possessing cannabis for the purpose of selling - CA
• Cultivate or harvest cannabis plants - CA
• Possession of a Schedule 1 substance - CDSA
• Possession of a Schedule 3 substance for the purpose of trafficking - CDSA
• Possession of a Schedule 1 substance-opioid - CDSA
• Possession of a Schedule 1 substance-other - CDSA
• Possession of a Schedule 1 substance-ecstasy - CDSA
• Possession of a Schedule 3 substance - CDSA
• Possession of a Schedule 1 substance for the purpose of trafficking - CDSA
• Possession of a Schedule 3 substance for the purpose of trafficking - CDSA
• Possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime over $5,000 - CC
Fu-Lin Wang, 27, of Scarborough:
• Possession for the purpose of distributing - CA
• Possessing cannabis for the purpose of selling - CA
• Cultivate or harvest cannabis plants - CA
• Possession of a Schedule 1 substance-opioid - CDSA
• Possession of a Schedule 1 substance-cocaine - CDSA
• Possession of a Schedule 3 substance for the purpose of trafficking - CDSA - three counts
• Possession of a Schedule 3 substance - CDSA - two counts
• Possession of a Schedule 1 substance-ecstasy - CDSA
• Possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime over $5,000 - CC
Nam Hei Chan, 21, of Scarborough:
• Possession for the purpose of distributing - CA - two counts
• Possessing cannabis for the purpose of selling - CA
• Cultivate or harvest cannabis plants - CA
• Possession of a Schedule 1 substance-opioid - CDSA
• Possession of a Schedule 1 substance-cocaine - CDSA
• Possession of a Schedule 3 substance for the purpose of trafficking - CDSA - two counts
• Possession of a Schedule 3 substance - CDSA - two counts
• Possession of a Schedule 1 substance-ecstasy - CDSA
• Possession of a Schedule 1 substance for the purpose of trafficking - CDSA
• Possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime over $5,000 - CC
The accused have all been released from custody and are scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice at Old City Hall in Toronto on April 20, 2023, police said.
The Provincial Joint Forces Cannabis Enforcement Team is comprised of members of the OPP and police services in Barrie, Durham Region, Kingston, Windsor, London and Niagara Region.
