RCMP bust illegal cannabis network, 17,000 plants seized from sites in Milton

Ontario RCMP have seized and destroyed approximately 17,000 cannabis plants from three illegal growing sites in Milton.

Six people face charges for their involvement in what investigators are calling a “complex” illicit cannabis network that stretches from Milton to Hong Kong.

Officers say the investigation began in 2022 after Ontario Provincial Police referred the case to the RCMP.

The network is believed to have been shipping cannabis to the U.S. and Hong Kong, and had plans to expand their business into Europe.

Investigators say the group also laundered millions of dollars through the Canadian banking system by using an identity fraud scheme.

Police allege they used other people’s identities to apply for Health Canada authorizations to grow medicinal cannabis, which were then used to get commercial leases.

Operations at the three growing sites are estimated to be worth $16 million annually. Each location had full-time live-in staff, none of whom have legal status to work or grow cannabis in Canada.

Six people are facing almost 50 charges in connection with this investigation:

• Shao Bo “Barry” Xie, 45, of Toronto
• Feng Gao, 42, of Toronto
• Shan “Sam” Gao, 34, of Toronto
• Xu Han, 26, of Toronto
• Fang Han, 30, of Toronto
• Zdena “Denise” Mesko, 61, of Sarnia

All six people were arrested at the RCMP Toronto West Detachment and released on an undertaking. Their first court appearance is scheduled for May 7 in Toronto.

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