Police have charged two people and seized more than $1.5 million worth of cannabis from an illegal operation in Brampton. Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) said Toronto police came upon the illegal cannabis production while they were executing a search warrant at a commercial unit on Rutherford Road on Aug. 4 in connection with a separate investigation. As a result, OPP said their cannabis enforcement team was called to investigate and determined through Health Canada that the property did not have registrations or licences to operate. A day later, with a search warrant, provincial police said investigators returned to the property and recovered nearly 4,000 cannabis plants, more than 23 kilograms of processed cannabis and $600 in cash. Two people, 43-year-old Ha Van Thang and 38-year-old Van Trieu Ngo, were arrested and charged with possession for the purpose of distributing and unauthorized cultivation under the Cannabis Act. OPP said investigators also discovered “significant safety hazards commonly associated with illegal cannabis production operations, including risks related to electrical infrastructure and building safety.” The Office of the Fire Marshal and other agencies were then called to attend the scene to make an assessment. “Following these assessments, it was determined there was no ongoing threat to public safety on the property,” OPP said.
