The RCMP’s Greater Toronto Area Trans-National Serious and Organized Crime Section charged six people with operating a complex illicit cannabis production and distribution network across three large-scale grow sites in Ontario.[1] The investigation began in the summer of 2022 after the Ontario Provincial Police referred the matter to the RCMP.[1][2]
During the investigation about 17,000 cannabis plants were seized and destroyed.[1][2] The RCMP estimated the operations could produce over $16 million worth of cannabis a year, with each site staffed by full-time live-in workers with no legal status to grow cannabis in Canada.[1][2]
Exports and charges
Police said the network exported cannabis to the United States and Hong Kong and planned to expand distribution into Europe, while laundering millions in profits through the Canadian banking system with a sophisticated identity fraud scheme.[1] The suspects allegedly sought Health Canada medical production authorizations using the identities of people unaware of the applications.[1]
Those charged were Shao Bo “Barry” Xie, 45, Feng Gao, 42, Shan “Sam” Gao, 34, Xu Han, 26, and Fang Han, 30, all of Toronto, and Zdena “Denise” Mesko, 61, of Sarnia.[1] All were arrested and released on an undertaking, with a first court appearance set for 7 May 2025 in Toronto.[1]
