Updated Friday, Dec. 14 at 12:22 p.m. AST
HALIFAX – Twenty-nine* people will face pot trafficking charges in the New Year following a series of arrests on Thursday. Among the accused is a former Team Canada Olympic paddler and a licensed medical doctor.
About 120 Halifax Regional Police, RCMP and Truro Police officers rounded up suspects at 14 locations.
The accused are facing a total of 97 charges, including the production of cannabis marijuana, possession for the purpose of trafficking, trafficking in cannabis marijuana and conspiracy to produce cannabis marijuana and conspiracy to traffick in cannabis marijuana.
All of the suspects will appear in Dartmouth Provincial Court or Halifax Provincial Court on March 13, 2013.
Police say more charges could be coming and one more arrest is pending.
Former Team Canada paddler Mihai Apostol, 41, is one of the 27 accused. He competed in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, in the K-1 1000m canoe race, and 1996 Games in Atlanta on the K-4 canoe team.
According to a Team Canada profile, Apostol defected to Canada, from Romania, in 1991 when he competed in the world junior championships were in Dartmouth. He was only 18 at the time.
The list of accused includes:
· Mark David Smith, 51-years-old, Lawrencetown, Halifax Regional Municipality
· Craig Cox, 38-years-old, Lawrencetown, Halifax Regional Municipality
· Christa Cox, 31-years-old, Lawrencetown, Halifax Regional Municipality
· Tyler Gregory Rutledge, 40-years-old, Dartmouth, Halifax Regional Municipality
· Kristopher John Matthews, 36-years-old, Cole Harbour, Halifax Regional Municipality
· Troy Dunphy, 28-years-old, Cole Harbour, Halifax Regional Municipality
· Mihai Apostol, 41-years-old, Halifax, Halifax Regional Municipality
· Kenneth Greer , 40-years-old, Halifax, Halifax Regional Municipality
· Matthew Edwin Hinch, 35-years-old, Seaforth, Halifax Regional Municipality
· Amanda Marie Romo, 23-years-old, Seaforth, Halifax Regional Municipality
· Paul Howard Dunphy, 41-years-old, Porters Lake, Halifax Regional Municipality
· Brian Joseph Boudreau, 35-years-old, Porters Lake, Halifax Regional Municipality
· Paula Butler, 29-years-old, Porters Lake, Halifax Regional Municipality
· George Abboud, 40-years-old, Porters Lake, Halifax Regional Municipality
· Joel Alexander Bissett, 26-years-old, Porters Lake, Halifax Regional Municipality
· Matthew James Pye, 30-years-old, Porters Lake, Halifax Regional Municipality
· Marty Allen Rutledge, 48-years-old, Porters Lake, Halifax Regional Municipality
· Brian Leo Hinch, 61-years-old, Middle Porters Lake, Halifax Regional Municipality
· Elizabeth Darlene Hinch, 57-years-old, Middle Porters Lake, Halifax Regional Municipality
· Stephen John Dunphy, 53-years-old, Waverley, Halifax Regional Municipality
· Frances Cornelius Hum, 62-years-old, Beaver Bank, Halifax Regional Municipality
· Robert Clement MacDonald, 67-years-old, Halifax, Halifax Regional Municipality
· Chad Bailey, 34-years-old, Halifax, Halifax Regional Municipality
· Richard Kung, 34-years-old, Hammonds Plains, Halifax Regional Municipality
· Jared Curtis Mallay, 33-years-old, West Porters Lake, Halifax Regional Municipality
· Kenneth Pittman, 60-years-old, Enfield
· Roger Stubbs, 39-years-old, East Preston, Halifax Regional Municipality
· Edward Sabbagh, 34-years-old, unknown address
Police say the busts are a major boost to fighting crime in Halifax Regional Municipality and surrounding communities. “Whenever illegal marijuana grow operations exist, there’s an increase in criminal activity and an associated increase in violence,” says Chief Supt. Brian Brennan, N.S. RCMP Criminal Operations Officer.
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The arrests come after an 11-month investigation, during which time police seized 45.5 pounds of dried marijuana, 2,207 marijuana plants, $250,000 worth of marijuana production equipment and more than $100,000 in cash.
Officers also seized five vehicles on Thursday and four long guns.
More details to come.
*Correction: An earlier version of this story said 27 people were arrested. Police have updated information to say 29 people have been arrested.
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