Jian Chen, a man previously unknown to police, has been found guilty of trafficking one kilogram of ketamine following a 2020 sting operation in the parking lot of Pacific Mall.
The York Regional Police Guns, Gangs and Drug Enforcement Unit had concern regarding the influx of ketamine being available in the Region. From information obtained they suspected that Yang Chen (the “Target”) [no evidence of any relation to the defendant] was trafficking in ketamine. The Unit in their daily briefing decided to conduct surveillance on the Target’s residence. As part of the investigation, an undercover police officer (“U/C”) would attempt to engage the Target to provide or sell a sample of ketamine to the U/C.
The case stemmed from a York Regional Police investigation into a suspected drug trafficker in June 2020. Chen was not the original target but came under scrutiny after officers observed a handoff in the mall’s parking lot on June 26.
According to court documents, police surveillance captured Chen in a black Audi SUV parked near the suspect’s vehicle. The target of the investigation approached Chen’s passenger window, retrieved a visible item, and returned to his own car before both were arrested. The item was later confirmed to be a kilogram of ketamine, a controlled substance.
He will be sentenced at a later date.
