$2M in cannabis found growing in Ontario town; 2 Mississauga residents charged

Two Mississauga residents face drug charges after police seized some $2 million in illegal cannabis that was being grown in a small town 40 kilometres southwest of Niagara Falls.

The 4,098 cannabis plants in addition to 33.2 pounds of dried, processed cannabis were discovered by Health Canada inspectors on Feb. 26 at a location on Highway 3 in Wainfleet, Ontario Provincial Police said.

Health Canada then referred the matter to the OPP’s Provincial Joint Forces Cannabis Enforcement Team and Niagara Regional Police, who responded to the scene.

“This referral was based on information provided by Health Canada that cannabis was being grown in contravention of the issued registrations,” OPP said in a news release on Tuesday.

Police said the illegal cannabis is valued at more than $2 million.

Ruyin Chen, 58, and Sirikat Khumhueang, 35, both of Mississauga, are each charged with:

• cultivate, propagate or harvest any cannabis plant at a place that is not their dwelling-house or to offer to do so
• possess cannabis for the purpose of distributing

The investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information regarding the illegal sale or production of cannabis is urged to call OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.

The Provincial Joint Forces Cannabis Enforcement Team is an OPP-led operation that includes officers from Niagara, Durham, London and Windsor police forces in addition to members of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario.

“Its role is to enforce and investigate illegal cannabis incidents and focus on the apprehension of those who produce, sell, distribute, import/export and use cannabis outside of the parameters of the law,” OPP said.

(Cover photo: Ontario Provincial Police)