CASH, POT SEIZED IN POLICE PROBE

More than 16,000 marijuana plants with a street value of $16 million were
seized during a police investigation that began in January.

Toronto Police said the investigation focused on a network of people they
allege are associated with two retail outlets: Caesar's Garden Centre at
584 Gordon Baker Rd. in North York and Jade Garden Trading at 335 Nuggett
Ave. in Scarborough.

Police allege members of this network were involved in the setting up of
grow operations and were providing people with equipment, expertise and in
some cases marijuana seedlings. The organization was also receiving and
distributing the final dried marijuana product, police said.

Also seized were $150,000 cash and 56 kilos of dried and packaged marijuana
with a street value of more than $1 million.

The investigation, dubbed Project Caesar, was concluded after a series of
arrests Thursday and Friday. The investigation was conducted by Toronto
police's drug squad, the proceeds of crime unit, 42 Division's major crime
unit and the York Regional Police drug squad. During the probe, 36 grow
operations were identified and dismantled in Toronto and York Region,
police said.

"It is anticipated that Project Caesar will have a significant impact on
the ease with which illegal marijuana grow operations have been
proliferating in the GTA," Staff Insp. Dan Hayes of Toronto police's drug
squad said in a news release.

"However, it is expected that these illegal operations will continue to
flourish until such time as the judicial system begins to impose jail
sentences that will serve as a meaningful deterrent to those who are
convicted of production and trafficking marijuana."

Altogether, 42 people were arrested and face charges of marijuana
production, trafficking and conspiracy. Five others are the subject of
arrest warrants and are being sought by police.