Nearly $2.4 million in cash, the largest seizure to date, was seized after a year-long probe into a cross-country drug-trafficking investigation, Toronto police announced Monday.

The operation, dubbed "Project Green Giant," followed the alleged shipment of large quantities of marijuana and from British Columbia to Toronto for distribution, police said in a news release.

Toronto police seized 205 kilograms of marijuana and three kilograms of hashish as a result of the investigation. A "large-hashish production lab" was also dismantled.

Last Thursday, police executed a number of search warrants at different locations across the GTA, including three safety deposit boxes at two financial institutions.

"There has always been a trade of marijuana from British Columbia to Ontario. It has been ongoing and it probably will continue, but we do our best to disrupt it and this is a significant disruption," Staff Insp. Randy Franks told reporters on Monday.

"We have had larger marijuana seizures but never in conjunction with this amount of cash. As far as I know, this is the largest one-time cash seizure we have been involved with."

Franks said the marijuana was stored in freezer bags to eliminate the odour and shipped in cardboard boxes.

A total of four people were charged

  • Nitesh Tailor, 35, of Toronto: Charged with two counts of possession of marijuana for the purpose (over), possession of marijuana for the purpose (under), possession of hashish for the purpose, possession of marijuana, four counts of possession of proceeds of crime (over), and possession of proceeds of crime (under).
  • Antonio Sergi, 50, of Brampton: Charged with possession of marijuana for the purpose (under), possession of hashish for the purpose, producing hashish, and possession of proceeds of crime (under).
  • Edward Vaserbakh, 35, of Toronto: Charged with possession of marijuana for the purpose (under), possession of hashish for the purpose, producing hashish, and possession of proceeds of crime (under).
  • Justin Young, 31, of Toronto: Charged with two counts of fail to comply with a recognizance.

All suspects appeared in court on Friday.