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Barrie resident charged when over 4000 cannabis plants, weapons seized near Bancroft

OPP say nearly 140 kg of dried cannabis and over a dozen firearms were seized
BarrieToday Staff
Photo of weapons with flash (1)
Weapons seized in McArthur's Mills. Photo supplied by OPP

NEWS RELEASE
ONTARIO PROVINCIAL POLICE
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MCCARTHUR'S MILLS - Members of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) East Region Community Street Crime Unit (CSCU) have seized over 4000 cannabis plants and a large number of firearms at locations near McArthur's Mills.

CSCU officers, along with members of the OPP Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau (OCEB), OPP Tactics and Rescue Unit (TRU), OPP Emergency Response Team (ERT), OPP Canine Unit and Provincial Asset Forfeiture Unit executed warrants on Sept. 15, 2020 at two locations on Hartsmere Road, one in Carlo-Mayor Township and the other in Addington Highlands Township.  

In addition to the cannabis plants, officers also seized nearly 140-kilograms of dried cannabis, nearly 500-kilograms of cannabis shake, growing and processing equipment and over a dozen firearms. Some of these weapons are semi-automatic rifles. More than two dozen people were arrested.

Fifteen people were arrested and charged with:

  • Cultivate, propagate or harvest more than four cannabis plants - Cannabis Act (CA) sec. 12(4)(b)
  • Possessing cannabis for the purpose of selling - CA sec. 10(2)
  • Careless storage of a firearm - Criminal Code (CC) sec. 86(1).

The following people have been charged:

  • Hong Jun Chen, age 64 of Scarborough
  • Hong Tao Chen, age 51 of Scarborough
  • Mu Xian Chen, age 61 of Markham
  • Shu Lin Chen, age 58 of Scarborough
  • Xue Ying Chen, age 66 of Markham
  • Yi Qi Chen, age 63 of Scarborough
  • Yinguan Chen, age 65 of Markham
  • Qiangdi Jiang, age 52 of Markham
  • Daidi Jin, age 56 of Scarborough
  • Li Fang Lin, age 36 of Carlo-Mayo Township
  • Saihua Ou, age 54 of Markham
  • You Yu Peng, age 61 of Markham
  • Shungue Wang, age 58 of Scarborough
  • Jin Shui Zheng, age 60 of Aurora
  • Yu Hua Zheng, age 61 of Aurora

In addition, the following individuals have been charged with possessing cannabis for the purpose of selling-CA 10(2) and Cultivate, propagate or harvest more than four cannabis plants-CA sec. 12(4)(b):

  • Ai Qing Chen, age 57 of Scarborough
  • Kunyu Chen, age 62 of Montreal, Quebec
  • Ping Wen Dong, age 52 of Scarborough
  • Meijuan Gao, age 53 of Scarborough
  • Yan Jian Li, age 46 of Lasalle, Quebec
  • Xinping Ou, age 46 of Markham
  • Gao Lei Wang, age 41 of Mississauga
  • Xue Jie Wu, age 40 of Montreal, Quebec
  • Guang-Da Yu, age 65 of Stouffville
  • Jinkai Zhang, age 37 of Barrie
  • Wenyi Zhang, age 45 of Aurora

All accused persons were released on an undertaking and are scheduled to attend the Ontario Court of Justice in Bancroft on Oct. 27, 2020.

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