Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) say they have dismantled a major organized crime operation on Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory in eastern Ontario, seizing more than $122 million worth of illicit cannabis plants and laying multiple charges in connection with the investigation.
In a joint operation between OPP and Tyendinaga police, officers executed a series of search warrants at illegal cannabis production sites linked to non-Indigenous organized criminal networks operating with assistance from a small number of community members. Police seized more than 72,000 illicit cannabis plants, along with three firearms, ammunition, and various other items tied to the illegal enterprise.
The investigation also uncovered the unlawful diversion of water from the Bay of Quinte to supply the production sites, which authorities say has now been stopped. Ten individuals are facing charges under the Criminal Code and the Cannabis Act. Six of the accused are not members of Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory.
Chris Brinklow, acting chief of the Tyendinaga Police Service, said the illegal operation exploited the community’s land and caused serious environmental harm. “The projected profits have served only to benefit organized criminal networks,” Brinklow said in a statement. “While a small number of community members may have been involved, the financial gains were not reinvested into the community. The exploitation of Indigenous communities and lands by organized crime is a serious violation of our rights and responsibilities – and it will not be tolerated.”
Police say the seizure represents a significant disruption to the illicit cannabis market in Ontario, which continues to be targeted by organized criminal groups seeking to profit from unregulated production and