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Cannabis raids in N.S., N.B., Ontario tied to transnational organized crime, RCMP say

Shares in Canada's big cannabis companies fell in early trading after the U.S. election which saw an effort to legalize recreational cannabis in Florida fail. Cannabis plants grow in Simcoe, Ont., Tuesday, April 13, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Tara Walton
Shares in Canada's big cannabis companies fell in early trading after the U.S. election which saw an effort to legalize recreational cannabis in Florida fail. Cannabis plants grow in Simcoe, Ont., Tuesday, April 13, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Tara Walton

The RCMP say several raids last month across three provinces were linked to a wider investigation involving transnational organized crime.

However, police did not give details about the operation in their statement Thursday to The Canadian Press.

They said RCMP carried out several search warrants on April 26 in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Hamilton.

A spokesperson said the searches were part of an investigation targeting organized crime, drug trafficking and money laundering.

Nova Scotia’s Progressive Conservatives issued a directive last year for police to crack down on unlicensed cannabis shops.

The Nova Scotia government was not immediately available for comment.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 7, 2026.

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