By Dan Laxer
The Suburban

Montreal police worked in collaboration with the Mascouche Police Department to dismantle a criminal drug network. It was a large-scale illegal cannabis operation that involved 21 searches, most of which were carried out in Montreal. The main production sites turned out to be two warehouses in Montreal – one in the Lachine borough and the other in Montreal North – with a third in Mascouche. The off-island community is about an hour north of Montreal.

Police came away with 10,628 cannabis plants worth more than $10 million, plus 1,167 pounds of bulk cannabis worth more than $1 million, smaller quantities of hashish, speed, and magic mushrooms.

Police say they also found some luxury items and more than $60,000 in cash.

The alleged members of the now dismantled criminal network held seven residences and buildings that investigators now have blocked. They also allege that the perpetrators had “fraudulently used certificates for personal production of cannabis for medical purposes issued by Health Canada,” according to a police statement.

Police say the network includes four men and two women between 30 and 60 years of age. They will make arrests at a later date, once the investigation is submitted to the Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions so that they can charge the alleged perpetrators under the Cannabis Act and in matters of fraud. n