Police have seized more than $18-million in illicit cannabis in Essex County.
According to OPP, the Provincial Joint Force Cannabis Enforcement Team (PJFCET) executed five search warrants Wednesday.
Detective Inspector Jim Walker says two homes and three greenhouses on County Road 34 and County Road 31 in Kingsville and on Seacliff Drive West in Leamington were raided.
He tells The Afternoon News 19 people were arrested and charged under the Cannabis Act.
"These are sometimes large criminal networks that there is many people involved in," he says.
More than 20,000 cannabis plants, over 1,400 pounds of processed cannabis, a quantity of Canadian cash and marihuana processing equipment were seized, according to police.
"What we're finding is criminals are using some of the existing agricultural infrastructure in order to grow their illegal cannabis crops," he added.
Walker says the investigation continues.
"An operation of this size will take some time to dismantle and obviously any evidence gathering after the fact," he says.
Li Yi Cao, 34-years-old of Mississauga is charged with possessing cannabis for the purpose of selling and cultivate, propagate or harvest any cannabis plant at a place that is not their dwelling-house under the Cannabis Act and possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime under $5000 under the Criminal Code of Canada.
Eighteen people are charged with possessing cannabis for the purpose of selling and cultivate, propagate or harvest any cannabis plant at a place that is not their dwelling-house: