Provincial police in Essex County charged 19 people and seized over $18-million worth of cannabis after searching three properties in Kingsville and Leamington.
On Wednesday, the Provincial Joint Force Cannabis Enforcement Team executed five search warrants at three greenhouses and two residences on County Road 34 and County Road 31 in Kingsville and Seacliff Drive West in Leamington.
During the search, investigators seized just over 20,000 cannabis plants, over 1,400 pounds of processed cannabis, some Canadian money, and marijuana processing equipment.
"The proliferation of illegal marihuana grow operations, as evidenced by this recent significant seizure in Leamington and Kingsville. To those individuals or groups who continue to profit from these illegal grow operations, the OPP will relentlessly pursue your interests, seize your property, and introduce you into the criminal justice system,” said Inspector Glenn Miller, OPP Essex County Detachment Commander.
OPP has charged Li Yi Cao, 34, of Mississauga with processing cannabis for the purpose of selling and cultivating, propagating, or harvesting cannabis plans at a place that is not their dwelling-house.
Another 18 individuals were charged with possessing cannabis for the purpose of selling including:
Xu CHEN, 37 years old, of Kingsville, ON. Kim Duong DIEP, 51 years old of Kingsville, ON. Zhenying FU, 57 years old of Scarborough, ON. Cheng Yun LIN, 52 years old, of Kingsville, ON. Fa Guan LIN, 72 years old of Kingsville, ON. Thoa NGUYEN, 43 years old of Kingsville, ON. Yanfang SU, 53 years old of Kingsville, ON. Yanchun SUN, 49 years old of Scarborough, ON. Bing WANG, 40 years old of Kingsville, ON. Pinguang WANG, 65 years old of Markham, ON. Ying Sheng CHENG, 57 years old of Wheatley, ON. Carlos Alejandro TORRES-VALENZUELA, 36 years old of Kingsville, ON. Yong Chao WANG, 57 years old of Kingsville, ON. Tran Thi ANH, 19 years old of North York, ON. Hien Thi DO, 55 years old of Leamington, ON. Hua Zhi LAN, 59 years old of Kingsville, ON. Thi Thuy NGUYEN, 53 years old of Kingsville, ON. Jianer WANG, 58 years old of Kingsville, ON.
The charges have not been proven in court.