Ontario RCMP recently seized cannabis grown at three large-scale illegal grow sites that distributed cannabis overseas.

The RCMP’s Greater Toronto Area Trans-National Serious & Organized Crime Section (GTA-TSOC) has charged six individuals for operating a complex illicit cannabis production and distribution network in Ontario.

This investigation began in the Summer of 2022, after the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) referred the matter for investigation to the RCMP. 

During the investigation, approximately 17,000 cannabis plants were seized and destroyed. The RCMP estimates that these operations could have an annual production value of over $16 million. 

Each of the sites were staffed with full-time live-in workers, none of whom had legal status to work and grow cannabis in Canada. The criminal network was also linked to the operation of two other illicit cannabis production sites in Ontario, which were dismantled by the OPP and the Toronto Police Service. The criminal network exported the illicit cannabis to the United States and Hong Kong, with further plans to expand distribution into Europe.

The RCMP allege millions of dollars in profits from this operation were laundered through the Canadian banking system by a sophisticated identity fraud scheme. They applied for Health Canada authorizations to produce medicinal cannabis using the identity of individuals who were not aware of the applications. These authorizations were then used to obtain commercial leases and expand the group’s cannabis production.

As a result of the investigation, the following individuals were charged with various crimes: 

Shao Bo “Barry” Xie (age 45) of Toronto, Ontario, Feng Gao (age 42) of Toronto, Ontario, Shan “Sam” Gao (age 34) of Toronto, Ontario, Xu Han (age 26) of Toronto, Ontario, Fang Han (age 30) of Toronto, Ontario, and Zdena “Denise” Mesko (age 61) of Sarnia, Ontario.

All of the accused were arrested at the RCMP Toronto West Detachment and released on an undertaking. Their first court appearance is scheduled to be held on May 7th, 2025, at the Ontario Court of Justice located at 10 Armoury Street in Toronto, Courtroom 1001 at 09:00 a.m.

The RCMP would like to thank a number of law enforcement and partner agencies including the Ontario Provincial Police-led Provincial Joint Forces Cannabis Enforcement Team (OPP-PJFCET), Peel Regional Police Service (PRPS), Toronto Police Service (TPS), Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC), Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), Health Canada, and the United States Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

“The collaboration and teamwork between the RCMP Federal Police and our provincial and municipal law enforcement partners underscores our collective commitment to battling transnational organized crime at all levels in Ontario, Canada and abroad,” said Inspector Nicole Noonan, Officer in charge of Federal Policing – Transnational, Serious & Organized Crime, Toronto West Detachment, Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

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