RCMP Busted Canadian Fent Dealer “Mr Hotsauce”

On May 24, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police arrested four individuals in connection with the Dream Market vendor “Mr.Hotsauce.” The vendor was known for selling a wide assortment of drugs and was considered one of Canada’s better fentanyl dealers (on the darknet). They caught them with $100,000 in cash and another $200,000.00 in cryptocurrencies.

After entering vacation mode, the vendor announced they would stay in vacation mode until the national holiday had passed on May 22, 2018. He never managed to leave vacation mode, according to his Dream profile and the RCMP press release. The four suspected drug traffickers got hit with a grand total of 46 charges including possession, possession with intent, exportation, firearms, and conspiracy.

Here’s the press release:

This online vendor known as “Mr.Hotsauce” brazenly offered to sell a variety of illegal drugs including fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, ketamine, crack cocaine, MDMA and GHB to customers in Canada and around the world. He is believed to have been responsible for several thousand illegal drug transactions.

Those arrested include the operators of this Darkweb vendor and couriers they had used to facilitate these illegal activities. “Mr Hotsauce” was well established on the Darkweb where products were advertised and orders were placed and paid for using the virtual crypto-currency “Bitcoin”. Orders were then shipped to customers using the regular mail system.

In addition to arresting those involved, RCMP members executed search warrants and have seized various quantities of drugs believed to be heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, crack cocaine, and ketamine. Other items seized were:

A loaded handgun
Approximately $100,000.00 in cash and virtual currency valued at more than $200,000.00.
Materials and documents required to operate this illegal business.

A total of 46 charges were laid against 4 individuals in connection to the investigation.

The Suspects

George Anthony Athanasiou (25) of Toronto, Ontario is charged with:

9 counts of exporting schedule I substances, contrary to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA)
9 counts of trafficking schedule I substances, contrary to the CDSA
9 counts of Possession for the purpose of exporting schedule I substances, contrary to the CDSA
9 counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking schedule I substances, contrary to the CDSA
2 counts of conspiracy, contrary to the Criminal Code of Canada (CCC)
4 counts of breach of recognizance, contrary to the CCC
2 firearms related charges and possession of property obtained by crime.

Jona Claudia Faller (28) of Toronto, Ontario is charged with:

9 counts of exporting schedule I substances, contrary to the CDSA
9 counts of trafficking schedule I substances, contrary to the CDSA
9 counts of Possession for the purpose of exporting schedule I substances, contrary to the CDSA
9 counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking schedule I substances, contrary to the CDSA
2 counts of conspiracy, contrary to the CCC
2 firearms related charges and possession of property obtained by crime, contrary to the CCC

Chadwicklee McLean (20) and Cypress Araujo (21) of Toronto, Ontario are charged with:

9 counts of exporting schedule I substances, contrary to the CDSA
9 counts of trafficking schedule I substances, contrary to the CDSA
2 counts of conspiracy, contrary to the CCC