Organized Crime Uncovered: Tyendinaga Police Deal $200 Million Hit to Criminal Organization

The sheer, staggering size of the illicit enterprise being dismantled on the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory should shock every Canadian taxpayer. This operation was pure corporate greed putting massive illegal revenue streams ahead of our safety and social cohesion, to make no mention of the ecological damage.

The scope of this multi-phase operation suggests an ongoing commitment to dismantling these networks. We can likely anticipate further arrests as investigators trace the money trails and uncover the broader criminal enterprise behind the names already released.

Recent reports from news sources like CTV News and the CBC confirm that the joint operation by the Tyendinaga Police Service and the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) seized nearly 119,000 illicit cannabis plants worth over $200 million. Investigators also confiscated almost $10 million in contraband cigarettes and fine-cut tobacco.

At the core of this crisis is exploitation. As Tyendinaga Police Service Acting Sergeant Chris Brinklow made clear, the investigation exposed the extent to which “non-community members have exploited our land for profit.” Out of the 34 individuals charged with more than 70 counts, a full 19 are from outside the community, coming from cities like Windsor, Toronto, and even British Columbia. This is organized crime leveraging jurisdictional gaps for astronomical gain.

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This kind of large-scale illegal activity directly undermines the Canadian business landscape. We have a legal, regulated cannabis market where companies pay taxes and follow strict rules. These criminal operations funnel hundreds of millions in untaxed profit directly into their own pockets, undercutting every legitimate entrepreneur in the country.

The arrogance of the perpetrators is astounding. Police noted the “unlawful diversion of water” from the Bay of Quinte and the depletion of a local quarry which “negatively affecting the water table.” This casual environmental destruction shows a total disrespect for the land and the community. As Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau Chief Superintendent Mike Stoddart of the OPP put it, this operation was successfully disrupted due to a commitment to community safety. The action was necessary, and it should be a blueprint for every police force dealing with cross-provincial organized crime.

We need our courts to recognize the scale of these financial and environmental crimes. Swift justice and aggressive asset forfeiture are essential to ensure these networks don’t simply restart their operations once the headlines fade. This monumental bust demands a proportional response to protect our community and our economy from criminal opportunists.

Is Canada’s legal system equipped with the proper tools and penalties to effectively deter and prosecute these sophisticated, multi-million dollar organized criminal networks? Should a greater portion of the seized proceeds of crime be directed back to the Indigenous communities whose lands were exploited?

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Sources

OPP seize another $79M in illicit cannabis on Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory – CTV News https://www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/article/opp-seize-another-79m-in-illicit-cannabis-on-tyendinaga-mohawk-territory/

Cannabis plants worth $200M seized in raids on Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, police say – CBC News https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/police-shut-down-illegal-cannabis-sites-tyendinaga-mohawk-terriroty-9.6981777

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Tyendinga cannabis bust, could be for the record books – Quinte News https://www.quintenews.com/2025/10/05/tyendinga-cannabis-bust-could-be-for-the-record-books/