Police dismantle GTA liquor trafficking operation involving more than $1 million in stolen booze

Halton Police shared a photo of stolen liquor recovered from a residence in North York. Police say the group purchased and re-sold liquor that was stolen from L

Halton Regional Police say they have dismantled a “large-scale liquor trafficking operation” involving more than $1 million in alcohol stolen from LCBO locations across the Greater Toronto Area.

In a news release issued Wednesday, police said a joint investigation was launched in July 2025 in partnership with the LCBO Resource Protection Unit and the Toronto Police Service’s 23 Division Retail Crime Unit.

The team, police said, investigated an organized group that they say was purchasing and reselling liquor stolen from the LCBO.

“Over the course of the four-month investigation, police and LCBO investigators identified several individuals involved in trafficking the stolen liquor and linked them to 10 separate organized theft groups,” police said.

The groups, police said, allegedly supplied the trafficking operation with liquor valued at more than $1.3 million.

“Most of the stolen liquor was sold from the accused’s residence or delivered directly to buyers across the GTA,” police said.

Members of police services in both Halton and Toronto executed search warrants at a residence in North York on Nov. 20, 2025 and seized approximately $120,000 in currency, a 2018 Toyota Corolla, a 2021 Toyota RAV4, a 2005 Chevrolet Corvette, and 126 bottles of whiskey.

Three people were arrested and face a number of charges, including possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000.

“Our community deserves to shop and work in safe environments,” Halton police Insp. Raf Skwarka said in a written statement.

“The individuals involved in this operation showed a deliberate disregard for the law and for the safety of others. Thanks to the collaborative efforts in this investigation, the accused have been brought to justice. We will continue to prioritize public safety by targeting organized retail crime.”