York police dismantle cannabis operation, seize $3.4M
Project Eclipse led to arrests of five Markham residents and the seizure of over 1,300 pounds of illegal cannabis and cannabis oil.
York Regional Police have dismantled what they say was a significant drug-selling operation spanning Markham and surrounding areas, announcing the seizure of $3.4 million worth of illegal cannabis and cannabis oil.
Project Eclipse began in May 2026 when investigators focused on a suspect believed to be selling cannabis out of a Markham home. That suspect was arrested on May 15, and a search warrant at the residence yielded cannabis, a substance believed to be crystal methamphetamine, and Canadian currency.
As the investigation expanded, police identified additional suspects. On May 21, officers executed search warrants at two more Markham residences and a commercial unit in Toronto, seizing more than 1,300 pounds of illicit cannabis and more than 30 jars of cannabis oil extract.
Five people face charges: Tien Chen, 59; He Jin Jiang, 43; Junjuang Ke, 52; Yung Qing Chen, 50; and Yongzhong Ke, 78 — all from Markham. All five face possession of cannabis for the purpose of distributing. Tien Chen also faces a separate count of possession of a Schedule 1 substance.
The operation signals the ongoing focus on illicit drug trafficking in the GTA's surrounding regions, with the scale of seizures reflecting the scope of the network police say was operating.