Editor’s Note: All the charges against Thanoja Tharmakulasekaram were withdrawn on May 5, 2023.
Three people were arrested after an investigation seized more than $6 million in illegal cannabis and cannabis-related products in the City of Kawartha Lakes.
According to City of Kawartha Lakes OPP, officers on April 21 executed five search warrants, focusing on three residential properties and two vehicles.
Police seized the following items:
- $400,000 in cash
- 470 kilograms of processed cannabis
- 100 kilograms of hash;
- 80 kilograms of cannabis resin
- 100 kilograms of cannabis edibles
- seven kilograms of cannabis shatter
- 80 kilograms of cannabis distillate
- 700 grams psilocybin.
- three vehicles as offence-related property valued at $75,000
Three people face a combined 13 offences. They will appear in court in Oshawa on May 19.
Thomas Kurely, 60, of Omemee (City of Kawartha Lakes); Kabilan Anura, 26, of Bolton, Ont., and Thanoja Tharmakulasekaram, 27, of Claremont, Ont., were each charged with:
- possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000
- possession for the purpose of distributing
Kurley and Anura were additionally charged with:
- possessing cannabis for the purpose of selling
- altering or offering to alter the chemical or physical properties of cannabis by the use of an organic solvent
- possessing, producing, selling, distributing or importing anything with intention to use it to produce, sell or distribute illicit cannabis
Anura was also charged with possession of a Schedule II substance for the purpose of trafficking.
The investigation included the OPP’s community street crime units in the City of Kawartha Lakes and Peterborough, the emergency response team, the provincial asset forfeiture unit and the canine unit, with assistance from the Durham Regional Police Service.