12 Charged in Hamilton Marijuana Operation

A lengthy joint investigation by the Hamilton Niagara RCMP and the Hamilton Police Service has led to criminal organization charges in what they are describing as an egregious exploitation of Health Canada’s Medical Marihuana (Canadian Government spelling)  Access Regulations (MMAR).

Among the accused are several members of a local Hamilton  family, along with their lawyer, along with other alleged associates.  Police allege the accused were behind a scheme to disguise a profitable marihuana grow operation as the legitimate production of medical marijuana.

Police say there were fraudulently obtained licenses for the production of marihuana under Health Canada’s Medical Marihuana Access Regulations at the centre of the investigation.  By amassing a substantial number of these licenses, police allege the group was able to develop a profitable, and seemingly legal, marihuana grow operation, whose distribution network extended as far east as Newfoundland.

“This is a flagrant abuse of the Medical Marihuana Access Regulations for profit”, said Inspector Steve Martin Officer in Charge of the RCMP Hamilton/Niagara Regional Detachment.  “The RCMP takes the criminal exploitation of government programs very seriously”.

“Illegal marihuana grow operations can pose a serious threat to community safety”, said Superintendant Dan KINSELLA of the Hamilton Police Service.  “In addition to being inherently dangerous sites, grow operations can contribute to the deterioration of neighbourhoods, and have been linked to violent crime”.

The accused are scheduled to appear in Hamilton Provincial court sometime in April 2013 and are facing a number of charges, including;   Participation in a Criminal Organization, Conspiracy to Traffic in a Controlled Substance, Production of a Controlled Substance, Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking a Controlled Substance, Trafficking a Controlled Substances, Obstruction of Justice, False Pretences, Counseling to Commit an Indictable Offence, and Failure to Comply with a Probation Order.

Those charged include Andre Gravelle (49), Andre Leo Gravelle (20), Daniel Gravelle(56), Ruth Ann Gravelle Finlayson (41), Ira Greenspoon (56), Bruce Kenner ( 54), Bradley Huffman (42), Joseph Cuvelier (48), Lawrence Mulhollland (49), Ronald Welch (55), Selina Osmond (33), and Jeff Dzenekoj (37), all from Hamilton, Ontario

SOURCE: Royal Canadian Mounted Police