Niagara Regional Police have seized 17,200 marijuana plants, valued at $34 million, at an illegal grow-op in St. Catharines.
In May, police began an investigation into an illegal marijuana growing operation in the area of Third Street Louth and Main Street in St. Catharines.
Police began investigating because members of the public had complained, and were concerned about the operation.
On Tuesday of this week, they executed a search warrant at that address.
11 people were working and tending to the plants at the operation.
Yongqi Liu, Lin Feng Shi, Jin Chin Jiang, Xiao Ping Yang, Junso Dong, Jinying Xue, Libo Qian, Qiaoguo Yang, Zengshou Liu, and Yingqiu Lin are all charged with unauthorized production of cannabis.
The eleventh suspect has yet to be identified.
This was the largest marijuana grow operation investigated by the Niagara Regional Police Service.
The Niagara Regional Police would like to remind members of the public that under legalization, individuals can produce up to four cannabis plants per residence. If a member of the public has been granted a Health Canada issued registration/licence to produce cannabis for medical purposes, those authorizations are specific to the named individual and location as well as the prescribed plant amount. Cannabis grown for one's own medical purpose cannot be sold, given or transferred to other parties. Aside from Federal Producers and regulated storefronts, it is an offence under the Cannabis Act to distribute or sell cannabis.