RCMP charges 7 suspects from the GTA in dark web bust

John Musselman reports on a major bust by the RCMP that dismantled a group shipping narcotics using the dark web operating out of the GTA.

The RCMP has charged seven suspects from the Greater Toronto Area in connection with the what it describes as “one of the largest known” drug trafficking operations conducted on the dark web in Canadian history.

In a news release issued Thursday, the RCMP said it was contacted by authorities in Germany, following a takedown of a dark web marketplace with links to “several” Canadian-based users.

They said the investigation was first referred to the RCMP Cybercrime Unit in Vancouver, before it was handed over to the Serious and Organized Crime Unit in Milton, Ont. due to the “nature and scope of the suspected criminal activity.”

The RCMP says investigators worked with the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC), as well as the Joint Cybercrime Action Taskforce (J-CAT) – Europol and Canada Post Security, to analyze the data from the dark web takedown in Germany.

That led investigators to a group the RCMP identified as “RoadRunna,” a “sophisticated criminal enterprise” which was allegedly responsible for shipping roughly 400 packages weekly across the country.

Following the execution of a several search warrants, police said they seized 75 kilograms of various narcotics, including cocaine, MDMA, meth, heroin, and ketamine. Some 10,000 tablets of prescription and non-prescription pills were also seized and packaging of the goods were found to be branded in “RoadRunna” packaging.

“The RCMP is immensely proud of the work done with our domestic and international partners on this investigation to stop illegal activities on the dark web, Insp. Nicole Noonan, of Central Region RCMP, said in a news release.

“Criminals are finding increasingly sophisticated and modern ways to evade the law, but we will continue to identify, disrupt, and dismantle these types of networks.”

All seven suspects charged in connection with the bust are all from the Greater Toronto area. They include Raphael Magdales (40), of Toronto, Kevin Lau (30), of Brampton, Richard Tat (31), of Brampton, Calvin But (32), of Toronto, Daneil Matti (31), of Brampton, Matthew Wong (46), of Toronto, and Tommy Tao (30), of Mississauga.

The suspects were charged with various drug-trafficking related offences. None of the charges have been tested in court.

The RCMP describes the dark web as a hidden and encrypted part of the internet that is not accessible by regular search engines.

“It requires special software in order to access, and is often used to facilitate criminal activity, such as the sale of illegal drugs, weapons, and other illicit goods and services. Criminals use the dark web in an attempt to conceal their identity and evade law enforcement,” the RCMP said.