On June 22, 2021 at approximately 8:00 a.m., officers from the Provincial Joint Forces Cannabis Enforcement Team, along with the Central Hastings OPP Community Street Crime Unit executed a warrant at a rural property on Springbrook Road, in the Municipality of Stirling-Rawdon.
Following a lengthy investigation, officers seized a pickup truck, two pounds of processed marijuana and more than 2000 cannabis plants, valued at approximately $2,000,000.
As a result, Junli CHEN, aged 44, from Toronto and Ai Min YANG, aged 56 from Toronto have been charged with the following offences:
• Cultivate, propagate or harvest a cannabis plant that is from seed or plant material that is illicit cannabis
• Cultivate, propagate, or harvest any cannabis plant at a place that is not their dwelling house
The accused individuals were released from custody and are scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Belleville on August 9, 2021.
If you discover or suspect an outdoor marijuana grow operation:
1. As soon as possible, call your local police or CrimeStoppers.
2. Do not touch the marijuana plants due to potential chemical residue on the plants.
3. If confronted by a marijuana grower, leave the area immediately and contact police.
4. If possible and safe to do so, record any license plate or GPS information and notify police.
5. In some cases, outdoor marijuana grows are guarded or protected by booby- traps. If you discovered a crop of marijuana plants, do not enter the area!
For your personal safety, turn around and immediately leave the area the same way you came in.
