Federal RCMP investigators say officers have taken down an organized crime group, seizing thousands of counterfeit cannabis-laced candies from dispensaries in Port Alberni and Lantzville.

Federal RCMP's Pacific Region Cpl. Arash Seyed said the seizure first began as an investigation into contraband tobacco, and investigators didn't expect to find all the cannabis-laced products. RCMP displayed some of the items during a news conference at B.C. RCMP's 'E' Division headquarters in Surrey on Tuesday (Oct. 29). 

The Pacific Region RCMP Federal Policing investigators searched five homes on Vancouver Island and two dispensaries – Green Coast Dispensary in Port Alberni and Coastal Storm Dispensary in Lantzville. Police also searched a suspected stash site in Port Alberni and a storage and production facility near the dispensary in Lantzville. 

The search also included two modular trailers where cannabis products were being produced, stored and distributed. 

Police seized more than 120,000 cannabis-laced edibles, including candies, potato chips, honey and chocolate bars. Some of the cannabis-laced items were packaged with similar branding to non-cannabis snacks and candies. 

Officers also seized more than three kilograms psilocybin mushrooms, 1,740 psilocybin capsules, more than 400 psilocybin candies and chocolates; 2.2 pounds of pressed cannabis resin; more than 500 pounds of cannabis bud; 19-plus pounds of shatter; more than 5,000 cannabis vape cartridges; five vehicles; two ATM machines containing cash and $40,000 in cash; and a shotgun. 

As the seizure first began as an investigation into contraband tobacco, RCMP also seized more than 164 master cases of contraband tobacco. That's more than 82,000 packs of cigarettes, police said. 

The warning comes days before Halloween.

Seyed said that RCMP doesn't know how many products could already be out there. But police are concerned the items could end up in the candy supply. 

"Clearly these are products that are very popular with children. If they were intended for adults, which they could be, many adults consume these types of products as well," he said. "But these are quite popular, statistically, with a certain age range, a lot of them being younger individuals."

Seyed said that although the cannabis-laced candies and snacks resembled professionally manufactured, packaged and quality-controlled products, "they were discovered to have been produced in the highly unsanitary, and heavily contaminated modular trailer."

He added that beyond the fact children could come into contact with the candies, the items were also made in "extremely unsanitary conditions with cross-contamination of all kinds of chemicals in these mobile trailers. The items were "essentially being dipped into different types of liquids and sprayed, so that in itself is a major health concern."

Seyed added that RCMP is in the early stages of investigating whether or not the items were destined for beyond Vancouver Island, but police "thought that it was prudent to come out and provide this information" ahead of Halloween. 

Six people – all from Vancouver Island – were arrested, but have since been released. RCMP has recommended charges, but none have yet been approved.