A string of police raids has broken up an illegal dispensary company that was operating stores several stores across the Golden Horseshoe.
On June 5, Niagara Police and OPP carried out six search warrants against a businesses operating under the name of Indige Smoke in Hamilton, Fort Erie, Thorold, Welland, St. Catharines and Leamington.
Police say they recovered several firearms, two ounces of suspected cocaine, unregulated cannabis, contraband tobacco, cash and several electronic devices.
Eleven people were arrested, and a total of 34 charges were laid, ranging from possession to trafficking.
Thirty-four-year-old Andrew Dainard of Niagara Falls is facing multiple firearm-related offences, including unsafe storage, possession of a loaded firearm and possession of a prohibited firearm without a license.
Dainard was also the only individual charged with trafficking cocaine.
The other individual facing firearm-related offences is 34-year-old Sara Manchisi of Niagara Falls, who is facing a charge for unsafe storage and another for unauthorized possession.
All 11 individuals have been released from custody and are scheduled to attend a court hearing in St. Catharines on July 18.
Police say their investigation remains ongoing.
“Cannabis remains a lucrative commodity for criminal networks,” OPP Det. Insp. Anne Goodwin said.
“The Provincial Joint Forces Cannabis Enforcement Team is focused on disrupting and charging criminal networks involved in the illegal cannabis trade in Ontario. Not only is it against the law to sell or purchase illegal cannabis, but consumers are faced with health risks that come from using untested and unregulated products.”
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