Over $250,000 in illegal cannabis seized in Niagara Falls

Two people are facing charges after more than $250,000 worth of cannabis was seized in Niagara Falls, police say. 

The OPP say the arrests were made after officers from the force’s Provincial Joint Forces Cannabis Enforcement Team, the OPP Haldimand/Norfolk unit and Niagara police executed two search warrants at two cannabis stores in Niagara. 

Police say these storefronts were not authorized by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) to sell cannabis or cannabis products.

OPP say the searches were carried out on Sept. 10 and that the two shops are closed as a result of the investigation. In a news release, police said anyone who enters the buildings without authorization could face charges. 

Police allege that multiple illegal products were seized, including more than $250,000 in illegal cannabis and illegal cannabis products, including dried cannabis, hash, edibles, vapes and shatter, $1,637 in Canadian currency, a digital video recorder (DVR) system, three cellphones and two tablets. 

Police have charged 39-year-old Toronto man Lehlohonolo Molefe with multiple possession-related charges, as well as failing to comply with a release order. He will appear in court on Sept. 25.

Misty-Lyn Drozdowsky, a 60-year-old Port Colborne woman, is also facing possession-related charges. She was released from custody and will appear in court in St. Catharines on Oct. 21.  

The charges have not been proven in court.

Police say the investigation is ongoing and anyone with information regarding the illegal sale of cannabis is asked to contact the OPP’s non-emergency number at 1-888-310-1122. 

“The Provincial Joint Forces Cannabis Enforcement Team will continue to work collaboratively with our partners to shut down illegal cannabis storefronts throughout the province,” OPP Detective Inspector Anne Goodwin, Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau, said in a statement. 

“Cannabis is a lucrative commodity for criminal networks and our focus is on the disruption and dismantling of these networks who are involved in the illegal cannabis trade.” 

Police are reminding residents that only cannabis purchased through the Ontario Cannabis Store or an Ontario-authorized, licensed retail store is legal. 

“Individuals who purchase cannabis from an illegal source, whether it is a storefront, online or a dealer, are committing a crime,” police said. 

“Profits from illegal cannabis sales are often laundered to finance other criminal activities including illegal drugs, firearms and human trafficking.”