A 37-year-old Burnaby man is facing criminal charges after Port Moody police seized 9.2 kg of illicit cannabis Tuesday.
The drugs were found when officers executed a search warrant at a home in Burnaby and a warehouse in Vancouver. Along with the marijuana, police seized a variety of pills and cannabis edibles, three vehicles and cash, with a total estimated value of $320,000.
"When purchasing cannabis or cannabis products through unlicensed sources, consumers may be unwittingly supporting organized crime," Port Moody Police Department Sgt. Brad Sheridan said in a press release. "They may also be putting themselves at risk by consuming products that are manufactured in unregulated environments."
Sheridan said investigators believe the products seized were not just for distribution in British Columbia but were being moved across the country.
This week's arrest arrest stems from an investigation last summer, when police discovered an illegal cannabis operation in a Port Moody highrise, Sheridan said.
At the time, residents in the building complained of suspicious activity, noting several unknown individuals were seen coming and going from a suite but no one appeared to actually be living in it.
A search warrant was executed, turning up a "sophisticated illegal cannabis distribution operation," with $75,000 worth of products seized, according to police. A 29-year-old Surrey man was arrested at that time.
