York police seize $3M in illicit drugs, say they ‘toppled’ dark web trafficking network

Five people are facing more than 80 charges after a months-long York Regional Police investigation into the distribution of controlled substances on the Dark Web led to the seizure of about $3 million worth of drugs.

Dubbed “Project Ghostwire,” the investigation also saw an illegal firearm and more than $1 million worth of goods like luxury cars seized.

“This investigation was two-fold following the physical distribution and trafficking of a high volume of illegal narcotics while navigating the shadows of a sophisticated and growing digital world that has no borders,” said York Regional Police Chief Paulo Da Silva. “The successful completion of Project Ghostwire reminds us that we must continue to be nimble and continue to innovate in the way we are investigating these crimes.”

Launched in January 2026, police identified an online drug trafficking operation known as the “Icy White North.”

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Det. Sgt. Stephen Beale told reporters Tuesday that the platform operated primarily through the Dark Web and other encrypted communication platforms.

“The digital marketplace appeared to cater exclusively to Canadian customers and was linked to individuals residing in the GTA,” Beale said.

“Icy White North,” according to online sources, showed the marketplace had received more than 9,000 positive reviews and had been operating since approximately 2022.

Beale said online activity appeared to show the operation was seeing monthly revenues exceeding $100,000 and cumulative proceeds over the past four years potentially reaching in the millions of dollars.

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The vendor utilized a commercial-style model, Beale said, with drugs advertised through digital marketplaces, orders processed through encrypted communications, and shipped through Canada’s legitimate mail-delivery services.

Investigators identified a wide variety of products sold including cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, LSD, and illicit prescription sales. Police say the quantities being sold ranged from street-level amounts to bulk orders of up to one kilogram.

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“Drugs were offered in quantities ranging from smaller individual sales to kilogram-level transactions indicating that the Icy White network had the capacity to supply other drug traffickers,” Beale said.

Payments were made through cryptocurrency, including Bitcoin, and investigators also identified promotional posts advertising available inventory. This included photographs of large quantities of cocaine and another product called “purple heroin,” which was later determined to be fentanyl.

“This investigation proves that anyone in our community can anonymously order these dangerous substances as long as they have the means to pay for them,” Da Silva said.

Eventually, police were able to identify members of the distribution network and several addresses connected to the investigation.

Multiple search warrants were executed on Feb. 20 at multiple locations, including at a luxury penthouse condo in Mississauga that police say was being used in the day-to-day operation of the online drug distribution network.

More than 5.5 kilograms of fentanyl in pill and powder form, equal to nearly 50,000 potentially fatal doses, were seized through the warrants.

Other drugs seized include 5.5 kg of methamphetamine, 3.5 kg of cocaine, 4.5 kg of ketamine, 700 grams of heroin, 5.4 kg of MDMA, 205 grams of crack cocaine, more than 1,100 tabs of LSD, 11,800 Xanax pills, 290 oxycodone pills and 110 hydromorphone pills.

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In total, the estimated street value of the drugs seized is approximately $3 million.

It wasn’t just drugs either.

A carbine assault rifle and ammunition, approximately $200,000 in cryptocurrency, $200,000 in Canadian currency, and more than $1 million in the proceeds of crime, including high-end vehicles and luxury watches were also seized.

Da Silva said it was the first time in York Regional Police history that cryptocurrency was seized, which Beale said it can be extremely difficult to seize the digital currency and special warrants were needed to do so.

A total of 81 charges have been laid against the five individuals arrested, Beale said. Three of the individuals are from Brampton, with one from Vaughan and the fifth from Brampton. Beale said three of the charged were men and two were women.

“This investigation has effectively toppled the Icy White North online drug trafficking network, which we believe was one of the most prolific, Canada-based Dark Web drug suppliers at this time,” Beale said.

Beale said its investigation led them to believe it is one of the top Canadian suppliers of drugs on the Dark Web and has “effectively taken that operation down.”