$2.3 Million Tobacco Bust

Source: OPP
Date: Mon Jun 9 10:48:28 MST 2025

In January 2024, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Contraband Tobacco Enforcement Team (CTET) began this intelligence-led investigation into the alleged trafficking of contraband tobacco, including shisha tobacco and contraband cigarettes, by a network of individuals based in the GTA.

On Thursday, July 4, 2024, CTET executed three search warrants in the GTA, which led to the seizure of more than 800 kg of shisha tobacco, more than 16,000 contraband cigarettes and $30,000 in Canadian currency. The tobacco seized has an estimated street value of more than $90,000.

On Thursday, October 24, 2024, 16 search warrants were executed in Brantford, Burlington, Mississauga, Vaughan and Scarborough by members from:

OPP CTET
OPP Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau
OPP-led Provincial Joint Forces Cannabis Enforcement Team
Brant County OPP Community Street Crime Unit
Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)
Ontario Ministry of Finance (MOF)
The search warrants resulted in the seizure of approximately 19,000 kg of contraband tobacco, valued at $2.3 million, as well as electronic devices.

In November 2024, Ali MALLAH, age 58 of Toronto, was arrested and charged with trafficking contraband tobacco, contrary to s. 121.1(1) of the CC.

In April 2025, following a thorough investigation, four additional individuals were arrested and charged with trafficking contraband tobacco:

Omar OMRAN, age 25 of Scarborough
Nael ALWARASANEH, age 36 of Burlington
Abdelrahman HASAN, age 28 of Brantford
Saif HASAN, age 20 of Brantford
The accused were released from custody and are scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Toronto on Monday, June 9, 2025.

Area OPP

43 Year Old From Huron East Arrested
57 Year Old From Goderich Arrested � Details Relased
38 Year Old From Kincardine Arrested
21 Year Old From Owen Sound Deceased Following Collision
Tyler WOOLMAN � Impaired Driving
Ronald EBY � Impaired Driving
19 Year Old From Chatsworth Arrested
Lisa-Marie QUICK Was Arrested

Motorcycle Collision In South Huron
Repeat Offender Matthew PRITCHARD Arrested Again
Do You Recognize This Theft Suspect?
Rohdel LEMON Was Arrested
36 Arrested In Child Porn Bust � One From Hensall
MCGRATH Facing Numerous Charges
22 Year Old From Kincardine Arrested
Richard Geelen � Impaired Operation
Multiple People Injured & Vehicles Damaged � Suspect(s) At Large
Noah FELSBOURG Was Arrested
UPDATE: 4 Teenagers & 1 Adult Dead Following Collision
David KUNZLE Was Arrested Again #RepeatOffender
33 Year Old From Kincarding Arrested Again #RepeatOffender
3 Collisions, 3 Impaired Charges
One Dead In Workplace Incident, One Hospitalized
29 Year Old From Brockton Arrested

South Huron











North Huron











Wingham Police Service











© 2015 GFP. All Parties are to be presumed innocent. Note: We archive all police press releases and make them available to the public. If you were listed in press release in error, please contact the police detachment that issued the PR and request a correction. Press releases will not be deleted from our archive. If your charges were dropped, it does not change the historical fact that a PR was issued.