British Columbia RCMP Serious and Organized Crime charged three suspects for money laundering and drug offences after it executed search warrants on two locations in Surrey, BC, and White Rock, BC. .“The successful suppression of this criminal organization’s activities demonstrates the BC RCMP Financial Integrity program’s effectiveness in combatting money laundering offences, that can be extremely challenging to investigate due to their high degree of complexity,” said British Columbia RCMP Insp. David Gray in a Tuesday press release. .The release said RCMP launched an investigation into an online cannabis business allegedly distributing drugs through mail in 2019. It said about $14 million in alleged proceeds of crime were found laundered through various companies and their bank accounts during the investigation. .RCMP were able to follow the money through bank accounts to people buying real estate, pricey vehicles, and luxury goods. .The release went on to say RCMP executed two search warrants on associated locations in Surrey and White Rock on November 30. It added the main commercial drug site was concealed in a rental home hidden in a residential community close to an elementary school. .The release said the searches uncovered a large, commercial illegal cannabis operation, including a substantial amount of drugs and several guns. .RCMP investigators seized alleged proceeds of crime, including more than $200,000 cash, gold bars, cryptocurrency, luxury vehicles, motorcycles, and other items. Drug paraphernalia, such as cannabis-related items, packaging, promotional material, business documentation, shipping material, and computers, were seized from the locations..Anyone with any information about money laundering is asked to contact their local police or Crime Stoppers at 1 (800) 222-8477. .The charges come after the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT) and the RCMP dismantled an alleged money laundering organization on November 23, which was supporting some of Canada’s largest organized crime groups. .READ MORE: ALERT, RCMP investigation halts alleged cross-Canada money laundering scheme.Project Collector was a three-year financial crime investigation conducted by ALERT Calgary’s financial crime team and RCMP Federal Serious and Organized Crime. The investigation began in Calgary and led to an alleged nationwide criminal organization involved in money laundering. .Seven suspects were charged, with arrests happening in Calgary and Vancouver. More than $16 million in bank accounts, real estate, and vehicles have been placed under criminal restraint.
