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RCMP seizes nearly $10 million in drugs from Schomberg lab

October 30, 2025   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

There was a lot of speculation about what was happening at a property north of Schomberg in early September, as RCMP and local police agencies were present at the site for several days.

Local residents reported seeing many police officers around the property and individuals in hazmat suits. At the time, the RCMP stated there was no risk to public safety.

Police held a press conference at the RCMP’s Toronto North Detachment in Newmarket on Friday, Oct. 24, to announce the results of that investigation.

Police said they shut down a ‘large-scale synthetic drug lab,’ and seized nearly $10 million worth of drugs. During the press conference, police displayed several items that were seized at the location after executing a search warrant at the location on Sept. 7.

The warrant was executed by the RCMP Serious and Organized Crime Unit.

In addition to a large quantity of drugs, police also seized $8,000 in cash.

Three people were arrested and face a total of 33 charges.

At Friday’s news conference, RCMP Chief Supt. Chris Leather said investigations like these are important to keep the public safe.

“We prevented the future production of millions of dollars’ worth of synthetic drugs, protected our communities from harm, and averted a potentially dangerous public safety incident posed by the unsafe storage of dangerous chemicals,” he said.

The investigation was launched in the spring after a suspicious order of chemicals, known to police to be used in the production of fentanyl, MDMA, methamphetamine, and cannabis extraction, was placed through a local business.

“The results of that investigation led RCMP to discover that the three individuals were operating a large-scale drug lab at an address in Schomberg,” the RCMP said in a press release. It went on to say, “In addition to cash, drugs and chemicals, officers discovered illegal equipment and materials including a pill press, firearms, various drug recipes, flasks and chemical glassware, and a variety of other lab components. Approximately 20,000 litres of hazardous waste were also removed from the site.”

Officers spent 10 days dismantling the site.

The lab was located in an outbuilding on a large property. None of the accused owned the property – they were renting it.

The property owners had no idea what the building was being used for.

The suspects identified by the RCMP are Christopher O’Quinn, Liang Gao, and Katie King.

They face numerous charges related to drug production, trafficking, and firearms offences. 

“This complex and multi-agency investigation demonstrates the strength of coordinated law enforcement efforts, and our shared commitment to keeping Canadians safe. Through the collective actions of all agencies involved, we successfully prevented a significant quantity of dangerous and potentially deadly substances from reaching our communities,” said Chief Superintendent Chris Leather, officer-in-charge of criminal operations for RCMP Central Region.

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