'Chronfather' busted, properties searched in Kelowna, Calgary
A joint police operation led to $13 million worth of drug seizures last week, linking a Calgary operation with properties in Kelowna and Beaverdell.
Calgary Police Service coordinated with B.C. RCMP to execute five separate search warrants on Dec. 7 and 8, where drugs, cash, firearms and a truck were all seized, according to a Calgary Police Service news release.
The investigation began in April 2021, when Calgary police began investigating the alleged unregulated sale and distribution of both cannabis and psilocybin products through a website called thechronfather.ca.
Police say the website operated since January 2021 and the sellers collected more than $11 million, which funded organized crime activities.
“By operating outside of the regulated cannabis production, processing and distribution channels, these individuals put citizens at significant risk," says Calgary Police Service Inspector Phil Hoetger.
Two people were arrested during the search warrants and charges are pending, according to police.
“Not only did purchases made through this website fund illegal organized criminal activities, production and storage facilities of this size are often the target of accompanying violence that puts our community at risk. Additionally, without any regulatory oversight, there were no measures in place to ensure that these products were safe for consumption," Hoetger says.
During the searches, police seized 2.636 kilograms of dried cannabis and plants, with 7.2 kilograms of shatter and other amounts of oils, resins and edibles.
More than $85,000 of psilocybin mushrooms were seized, including dried mushrooms and gummies.
Aside from drugs, police seized $63,000 of Canadian currency, four rifles, ammunition and a Ford F350.
The properties searched in B.C. were identified by the Calgary Police cybercrime team, which believed they functioned as production, distribution and storage sites for the operation.
The Alberta Civil Forfeiture Office started proceedings against an Albertan bank account, while the B.C. office started proceedings against four properties and several bank accounts, police say.
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