TORONTO, May 31 2018 /CNW/ - On May 24th, 2018 the Royal Canadian Mounted Police's (RCMP) Serious and Organized (SOC) team arrested a prolific drug trafficker who had been operating on the Darkweb.
This online vendor known as "Mr Hotsauce" brazenly offered to sell a variety of illegal drugs including fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, ketamine, crack cocaine, MDMA and GHB to customers in Canada and around the world. He is believed to have been responsible for several thousand illegal drug transactions.
Those arrested include the operators of this Darkweb vendor and couriers they had used to facilitate these illegal activities. "Mr Hotsauce" was well established on the Darkweb where products were advertised and orders were placed and paid for using the virtual crypto-currency "Bitcoin". Orders were then shipped to customers using the regular mail system.
In addition to arresting those involved, RCMP members executed search warrants and have seized various quantities of drugs believed to be heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, crack cocaine, and ketamine. Other items seized were:
- A loaded handgun
- Approximately $100,000.00 in cash and virtual currency valued at more than $200,000.00.
- Materials and documents required to operate this illegal business.
A total of 46 charges were laid against 4 individuals in connection to the investigation.
George Anthony Athanasiou (25) of Toronto, Ontario is charged with:
- 9 counts of exporting schedule I substances, contrary to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA)
- 9 counts of trafficking schedule I substances, contrary to the CDSA
- 9 counts of Possession for the purpose of exporting schedule I substances, contrary to the CDSA
- 9 counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking schedule I substances, contrary to the CDSA
- 2 counts of conspiracy, contrary to the Criminal Code of Canada (CCC)
- 4 counts of breach of recognizance, contrary to the CCC
- 2 firearms related charges and possession of property obtained by crime.
Jona Claudia Faller (28) of Toronto, Ontario is charged with:
- 9 counts of exporting schedule I substances, contrary to the CDSA
- 9 counts of trafficking schedule I substances, contrary to the CDSA
- 9 counts of Possession for the purpose of exporting schedule I substances, contrary to the CDSA
- 9 counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking schedule I substances, contrary to the CDSA
- 2 counts of conspiracy, contrary to the CCC
- 2 firearms related charges and possession of property obtained by crime, contrary to the CCC
Chadwicklee McLean (20) and Cypress Araujo (21) of Toronto, Ontario are charged with:
- 9 counts of exporting schedule I substances, contrary to the CDSA
- 9 counts of trafficking schedule I substances, contrary to the CDSA
- 2 counts of conspiracy, contrary to the CCC
"The RCMP remains committed to identifying, disrupting and dismantling those who seek to traffic these dangerous drugs in our communities. This includes those groups who may try to conceal their illegal activities using complex schemes and Darkweb ventures", said Inspector Gord Cobey, Officer in Charge of Toronto West SOC.
The RCMP works diligently to make Canada a safer place to live, however your assistance in remaining vigilant and informing us of any suspicious activities will help us be even more successful. If you have any information about the trafficking of fentanyl and other narcotics or wish to report other criminality, you can contact your local police, the Ontario RCMP at 1-800-387-0020 or anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), at any time.
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Website: RCMP in Ontario
SOURCE Royal Canadian Mounted Police
For media inquiries please contact: Cpl. Louise Savard, Media Relations Officer, RCMP "O" Division (Ontario), PHONE #905-876-9709, Email: [email protected]
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