TORONTO: In one of the most significant cyber-drug busts in recent Canadian history, York Regional Police have dismantled a sophisticated Dark Web drug trafficking network. Five individuals have been arrested following a covert operation code-named ‘Project Ghostwire’. The syndicate, which operated like an Amazon-style e-commerce marketplace, faces a total of 81 criminal charges.
The arrested suspects, all Canadian nationals, have been identified as Cedric Olipano (38) from Mississauga, Lexia Oliver (23) from Toronto, Pui Yan Lai (42) from Oakville, Benjamin Quinta (34) from Vaughan, and Sarah Boudreau (27) from Brampton.
Amazon-Style E-Commerce Model
According to investigators, the group operated under the vendor name “Icy White North” on the Dark Web. The operation mimicked legitimate global e-commerce platforms, offering buyers the ability to place orders for illicit substances, leave ratings, and publish customer reviews. The shop had amassed over 9,000 positive reviews and exclusively processed transactions using cryptocurrency to obscure the money trail.
Police revealed that the network managed its core distribution out of a luxury penthouse in Mississauga. Once orders were confirmed online, the illicit goods were packaged discreetly and shipped directly to buyers’ doorstep addresses across Canada via standard postal and courier services.
Seizure of Drugs, Guns, and Luxury Assets
During the busts, law enforcement officers seized illicit drugs with an estimated market value of $3 million Canadian dollars (over ₹18 crore INR). The stash included dangerous opioids and narcotics such as Fentanyl, Cocaine, Heroin, LSD, and MDMA.
In addition to the drug stash, authorities confiscated illegally possessed firearms, $200,000 worth of cryptocurrency accounts, high-end luxury vehicles, and luxury timepieces—pushing the total value of seized proceeds of crime over $1 million. Canadian authorities have hailed ‘Project Ghostwire’ as a major landmark victory in the country’s ongoing battle against organized cyber-narcotics networks.
