Ontario RCMP says it’s dismantled one of the largest known dark web drug trafficking operations in Canadian history.
The drug network was called “RoadRunna” and shipped illegal drugs across Canada, according to the release from Central Region RCMP.
“Further investigation into the drug trafficking network revealed multiple individuals directly involved in the operation, which was responsible for shipping around 400 packages weekly across the country,” said the release.
The dark web is a hidden and encrypted part of the internet, not accessible by regular search engines. Special software is required to access it, and it is often used to facilitate criminal activity.
Police say they received a tip from German law officials after German authorities took down a dark web marketplace and found several Canadian-based users linked to suspected drug trafficking.
The RCMP’s Vancouver-based cybercrime unit started an investigation into one of the referrals, which was handed over to the serious and organized crime unit in Milton, Ont., due to the “nature and scope” of the suspected criminal activity, RCMP said.
The agency also worked with Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC), international cybercrime taskforce JCAT Europol, and Canada Post Security, to analyze data from the dark web platform.
Investigators said they were able to identify a Canadian-based drug vendor from the data analysis. RCMP called it a “sophisticated criminal enterprise” that distributed illegal drugs across Canada.
RCMP say they seized 75 kilograms of various narcotics, including cocaine, meth, and heroin, 10,000 tablets of prescription and non-prescription pills, several electronic devices, and drug distribution materials, including branded packaging for “RoadRunna,” following the execution of several search warrants.
Seven individuals are now facing numerous drug charges, including, Raphael Magdales, 30, of Toronto, Matthew Wong, 46, of Scarborough, Tommy Tao, 30, of Mississauga, and Calvin But, 32, of North York. Brampton residents Kevin Lau, 30, Richard Tat, 31, and Daneil Matti, 31, were also charged.
Lau is also facing four counts of possession of a prohibited weapon, according to RCMP.
RCMP Insp. Nicole Noonan said the agency was “immensely proud” of the cooperative work with domestic and international agencies on the investigation.
“Criminals are finding increasingly sophisticated and modern ways to evade the law, but we will continue to identify, disrupt, and dismantle these types of networks,” Noonan said in the release.
RCMP said a single vendor on the dark web can distribute “significant quantities” of illegal drugs, which is done by “exploiting mail services.” They added that most transactions on the dark web were done using cryptocurrency to “obscure identity and financial trails.”
