Ottawa Police have raided illegal cannabis stores across the city multiple times this year
Ottawa Police searched the same Preston Street business twice in one week in October, part of a pattern of enforcement against unlicensed cannabis and tobacco stores across the city in 2026.
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Ottawa Police searched the same business in Little Italy twice in one week in October, making two arrests linked to the illegal sale of cannabis, tobacco, and other substances. The searches are part of a pattern that runs through 2026, with police targeting unlicensed stores at multiple addresses across the city.
What happened at the Preston Street address
The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) carried out the first search at a retail business in the 200 block of Preston Street on October 23, 2026. The search followed community complaints about illegal cannabis and nicotine sales. Officers seized 4.79 kilograms of cannabis products, 40 vape devices, 14,285 contraband cigarettes, and 95 cigars, according to the OPS press release issued November 2.
Six days later, on October 29, officers returned to the same address. The Centretown Neighbourhood Resource Team (NRT), with help from the Tactical Section, executed a second Criminal Code search warrant as part of the continuing investigation. In that search, police seized:
- 5 pounds of cannabis flower
- 407 grams of pre-rolled cannabis
- 38 grams of hash
- 27,800 mg of THC products
- 24 grams of psilocybin products
- 24 nicotine vape devices
- 12,120 contraband cigarettes
- 70 cigars
- Two televisions
- $335 in Canadian currency
A 25-year-old Ottawa man was arrested following the October 29 search. The Ottawa Police Service press release lists five charges against him: Possession of Illicit Cannabis, Unlawful Sale of Cannabis, Sale of Unpackaged, Unstamped Tobacco, Possession of Property Obtained by Crime, and Possession of a Schedule III Substance for the Purpose of Trafficking. He was released on an undertaking and is scheduled to appear in court at a later date.
Other enforcement actions across Ottawa in 2026
The Preston Street address was not the only location targeted this year. StratCann, reporting on November 2, documented a wider pattern of OPS raids on unlicensed cannabis stores:
On October 19, Ottawa Police searched a cannabis and nicotine store in the 300 block of Catherine Street. A 32-year-old Ottawa woman was charged under the Cannabis Control Act with selling and possessing illicit cannabis. She also faced charges under the Criminal Code for selling unpackaged and unstamped tobacco, and possession of proceeds of crime.
On October 9, officers executed a search warrant at Castle Heights Cannabis at 605 Centre Street, targeting another illegal cannabis store.
In April 2026, Ottawa Police seized cannabis products from a business in the 100 block of Montreal Road. That investigation had begun in January 2026.
Why the Preston Street area falls under Ward 14
The Preston Street strip in Little Italy sits within Ward 14 Somerset. Ariel Troster won re-election as Somerset ward councillor on October 26, 2026. During the campaign, she told the Centretown BUZZ that she would not support a police budget increase larger than the city's overall budget increase without an audit of police spending and matching increases for social services.
The Centretown NRT is the policing unit that covers this ward and carried out both of the Preston Street searches.
What a human rights complaint showed about these stores
StratCann reported on September 2026 coverage by the Ottawa Citizen of two people who had previously operated unlicensed cannabis stores in Ottawa, Bryan Brant and Robert Fisher. Both were evicted from their locations after Ottawa Police contacted their landlords. They filed a human rights complaint regarding those closures, which was dismissed. Fisher also filed an application in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.
Sara Mainville, a lawyer and managing partner at JFK Law, told the Ottawa Citizen that an individual constitutional challenge like Fisher's could also fail because courts set a high bar for establishing constitutional rights. "The nexus to First Nations and collective rights is really important here," Mainville said, as quoted by StratCann.
What the law says
Cannabis sales in Ontario require a licence from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario. Selling without a licence, or selling unregulated products that do not meet federal packaging and labelling requirements, is an offence under the Cannabis Act. Tobacco must carry provincial tax stamps under the Tobacco Tax Act. Products sold through unlicensed stores carry no guarantee of contents, testing, or labelling.
The Ottawa Police Service said in the November 2 press release that illegal storefront operations "undermine public safety, evade regulatory requirements, and contribute to the illicit market for cannabis and tobacco products."
What residents can do
Ottawa Police ask anyone with information about illegal cannabis or tobacco sales to contact the OPS at 613-236-1222 (non-emergency line). Residents can also register their security camera location at CAMSafe.ca to support police investigations in their area. The press release from November 2 is the most recent public record in this investigation.
Court proceedings against the 25-year-old man arrested on October 29 will be scheduled at a later date; the OPS press release does not give a date.
Questions this story answers
How many times did Ottawa Police search the Preston Street business?
Ottawa Police searched the business at the 200 block of Preston Street twice: once on October 23, 2026, and again on October 29, 2026. Both searches were carried out under Criminal Code search warrants as part of an ongoing investigation into the illegal sale of cannabis, nicotine, and other controlled substances, according to the Ottawa Police Service press release issued November 2.
What did police seize in the two searches?
In the October 23 search, police seized 4.79 kilograms of cannabis products, 40 vape devices, 14,285 contraband cigarettes, and 95 cigars. In the October 29 search, police seized 5 pounds of cannabis flower, 407 grams of pre-rolled cannabis, 38 grams of hash, 27,800 mg of THC products, 24 grams of psilocybin products, 24 nicotine vape devices, 12,120 contraband cigarettes, 70 cigars, two televisions, and $335 in Canadian currency.
Who was arrested at the Preston Street business?
A 25-year-old Ottawa man was arrested following the October 29 search and faces five charges: Possession of Illicit Cannabis, Unlawful Sale of Cannabis, Sale of Unpackaged, Unstamped Tobacco, Possession of Property Obtained by Crime, and Possession of a Schedule III Substance for the Purpose of Trafficking. He was released on an undertaking and is scheduled to appear in court at a later date, according to the Ottawa Police Service.
Was the Preston Street location the only illegal cannabis store searched in Ottawa this year?
No. Ottawa Police have carried out multiple enforcement actions against illegal cannabis and tobacco stores across the city in 2026. On October 19, police searched a store in the 300 block of Catherine Street and charged a 32-year-old Ottawa woman. On October 9, police searched Castle Heights Cannabis at 605 Centre Street. In April 2026, officers seized cannabis products from a business in the 100 block of Montreal Road in an investigation that had started in January. StratCann reported these earlier enforcement actions on November 2.
What charges does Ottawa Police typically lay in these cases?
Charges in these cases are drawn from the Cannabis Act, the Criminal Code, and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. They include Possession of Illicit Cannabis, Unlawful Sale of Cannabis, Sale of Unpackaged, Unstamped Tobacco, and Possession of Property Obtained by Crime. The Ottawa Police Service press release issued November 2 listed the five specific charges against the 25-year-old arrested at the Preston Street location.
What ward covers the Preston Street area where the raids took place?
The Preston Street area of Little Italy falls within Ward 14 Somerset. Ariel Troster won re-election as Somerset ward councillor on October 26, 2026. During the campaign, Troster had said she would not support a police budget increase larger than the city's overall budget increase without an audit of police spending, according to the Centretown BUZZ.
What is the Ottawa Police Service saying about why this enforcement matters?
The Ottawa Police Service said in its November 2 press release that illegal storefront operations undermine public safety, evade regulatory requirements, and contribute to the illicit market for cannabis and tobacco products. StratCann reported that the Ottawa Police Centretown Neighbourhood Resource Team carried out the Preston Street searches with support from the Tactical Section.
How can Ottawa residents report an illegal cannabis or tobacco store?
Ottawa Police ask anyone with information about illegal cannabis or tobacco sales to contact the Ottawa Police Service at 613-236-1222 (non-emergency line). Residents can also register security cameras at CAMSafe.ca to support police investigations in their area. The Ottawa Police Service news release from November 2 listed Media Relations at extension 5366 for press inquiries.
Sources
The pages this story draws on. Open one to check a claim yourself.
- Ottawa Police Service press release, November 2, 2026ottawapolice.ca
- CityNews Ottawa, November 2, 2026ottawa.citynews.ca
- StratCann, November 2, 2026stratcann.com
- CTV News Ottawa, November 2, 2026ctvnews.ca
- Algonquin Times, November 2, 2026algonquintimes.com
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