RCMP and Hamilton Police Charge Local Family

HAMILTON, ON, March 7, 2013 /CNW/ - After a lengthy investigation, the Hamilton Niagara RCMP and the Hamilton Police Service have laid criminal organization charges in what they describe as an egregious exploitation of Health Canada's Medical Marihuana Access Regulations (MMAR). Among the accused are several members of a local Hamilton  family, along with their lawyer, who police allege were behind a scheme to disguise a profitable marihuana grow operation as the legitimate production of medical marihuana.

Police allege that the family and its associates fraudulently obtained licenses for the production of marihuana under Health Canada's Medical Marihuana Access Regulations. Hamilton By amassing a substantial number of these licenses, 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 in April 2013 and are facing a myriad 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.

Charged are:

• Andre GRAVELLE, 49 years old, of Hamilton, Ontario
• Daniel GRAVELLE, 56, years old, of Hamilton, Ontario
• Andre Leo GRAVELLE, 20 years old, of Hamilton, Ontario
• Ruth Ann GRAVELLE FINLAYSON, 41 years old, of Hamilton, Ontario
• Ira GREENSPOON, 56 years old, of Hamilton, Ontario
• Bruce KENNER, 54 years old of Hamilton, Ontario
• Bradley HUFFMAN, 42 years old, of Hamilton, Ontario
• Joseph CUVELIER, 48 years old, of Hamilton, Ontario
• Lawrence MULHOLLLAND, 49 years old, of Hamilton, Ontario
• Ronald WELCH, 55 years old, of Hamilton, Ontario
• Selina OSMOND, 33 years old, of Hamilton, Ontario
• Jeff DZENEKOJ, 37 years old, of Hamilton, Ontario

Members of the media are invited to attend the RCMP Hamilton Niagara Detachment located at 777 Highway 8 in Stoney Creek, on March 7^th, 2013 at 2 pm, for a question and answer session.

SOURCE: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Media Enquiries:
RCMP
Media Relations
416-992-4409

Hamilton Police Service
Media Relations
905-546-4901