In March 2019, the Saskatchewan RCMP Federal Serious and Organized Crime Unit (FSOC) launched an interprovincial investigation into a group based in Saskatchewan聽that were聽involved in the distribution of illicit cannabis and tobacco products.
FSOC was assisted throughout this investigation by federal, provincial, municipal and RCMP resources and agencies in British Columbia, Quebec and Saskatchewan.聽
The investigation showed illicit cannabis products聽from British Columbia were being purchased by individuals in Saskatchewan and then exchanged for illicit tobacco products聽from Quebec. As a result of the investigation, a substantial聽amount of illicit cannabis, illicit tobacco and Canadian currency was intercepted by the RCMP including: 聽69.3 lbs of cannabis,聽5152 grams of shatter, $573,735 in Canadian currency and聽聽聽2,856,500 cigarettes.聽
Over the course of 17 months, FSOC used intelligence-based policing to conduct a thorough investigation utilizing various police techniques including over 50 searches of businesses, residences and vehicles for evidence.聽
The investigation resulted in eight people being arrested and one person being issued a summons. The nine individuals are facing a combined total of 64 charges for a variety of offences, some of which include聽Criminal Code聽Conspiracy offences,聽Cannabis Act聽offences,聽Excise Act聽offences and Proceeds of Crime offences including Possessing Property Obtained by Crime for the Purpose of Trafficking and Trafficking in Property Obtained by Crime.聽
The following people have been charged in relation to the investigation:聽
路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽35-year-old Dustin Zimmerman of Pense, Saskatchewan
路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽35-year-old Jaroslaw Kanigoswki of Vancouver, British Columbia
路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽39-year-old Joseph Johnson of Yale, British Columbia
路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽36-year-old Justin Matychuk of Regina, SK
路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽31-year-old Sara Cheeseman of Regina, SK
路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽32-year-old Kyle Loubier of Regina, SK
路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽37-year-old Louis Sebastian of Regina, SK
路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽34-year-old Alicia Roberts of Regina, SK
路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽36-year-old David Wilson of Regina, SK聽
The accused are all scheduled to make their first appearance in Provincial Court in Regina on September 10, 2020, at 9:30 a.m.聽
鈥淥rganized crime affects the daily lives of Canadians, financially and especially with their health and safety,鈥� said Inspector Andrew Farquhar, of the Saskatchewan RCMP鈥檚 Federal, Serious and Organized Crime Unit. 鈥淲e remain committed to using an intelligence-led, integrated approach in our investigations to reduce the demand for illicit products and the threat of organized crime.鈥�
FSOC works in conjunction with domestic and international partners to disrupt, dismantle and support prosecution of serious and organized crime groups and their members.
