Just days after The Current reported on a similar raid near Palmer Rapids on September 11, members of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) East Region Community Street Crime Unit (CSCU) conducted an operation at cannabis grow-ops near McArthur’s Mills east of Bancroft. In answer to a question from The Current, the OPP were unable to say whether the grow-ops were connected, and acknowledged there had been a number of recent raids throughout Eastern Ontario. On Friday, the OPP released the following statement:
Members of the OPP East Region CSCU have seized over 4000 thousand cannabis plants and a large number of firearms at locations near McArthur’s Mills.
CSCU officers, along with members of the OPP Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau (OCEB), OPP Tactics and Rescue Unit (TRU), OPP Emergency Response Team (ERT), OPP Canine Unit and Provincial Asset Forfeiture Unit executed warrants on September 15, 2020 at two locations on Hartsmere Road, one in Carlow-Mayo Township and the other in Addington Highlands Township.
In addition to the cannabis plants, officers also seized nearly 140-kilograms of dried cannabis, nearly 500-kilograms of cannabis shake, growing and processing equipment and over a dozen firearms. Some of these weapons are semi-automatic rifles.
A total of 15 people were arrested and charged with:
Cultivate, propagate or harvest more than four cannabis plants – Cannabis Act (CA) sec. 12(4)(b)
Possessing Cannabis for the purpose of selling – CA sec. 10(2)
Careless storage of a firearm – Criminal Code (CC) sec. 86(1).
The following people have been charged:
Hong Jun CHEN, age 64 of Scarborough
Hong Tao CHEN, age 51 of Scarborough
Mu Xian CHEN, age 61 of Markham
Shu Lin CHEN, age 58 of Scarborough
Xue Ying CHEN, age 66 of Markham
Yi Qi CHEN, age 63 of Scarborough
Yinguan CHEN, age 65 of Markham
Qiangdi JIANG, age 52 of markham
Daidi JIN, age 56 of Scarborough
Li Fang LIN, age 36 of Carlo-Mayo Township
Saihua OU, age 54 of markham
You Yu PENG, age 61 of markham
Shungue WANG, age 58 of Scarborough
Jin Shui ZHENG, age 60 of Aurora
Yu Hua ZHENG, age 61 of
The following individuals have been charged with Possessing cannabis for the purpose of selling-CA 10(2) and Cultivate, propagate or harvest more than four cannabis plants-CA sec. 12(4)(b):
Ai Qing CHEN, age 57 of Scarborough
Kunyu CHEN, age 62 of Montreal, Quebec
Ping Wen DONG, age 52 of Scarborough
Meijuan GAO, age 53 of Scarborough
Yan Jian LI, age 46 of Lasalle, Quebec
Xinping OU, age 46 of Markham
Gao Lei WANG, age 41 of Mississauga
Xue Jie WU, age 40 of Montreal, Quebec
Guang-Da YU, age 65 of Stouffville
Jinkai ZHANG, age 37 of barrie
Wenyi ZHANG, age 45 of Aurora
All accused persons were released on an undertaking and are scheduled to attend the Ontario Court of Justice in Bancroft on October 27, 2020.
Dickson,B.OPP East Region(2020,Sept.18) OPP SEIZES OVER 4000 CANNABIS PLANTS NEAR MCARTHUR’S MILLS [media release]
Photo OPP
