Canadian Dark Web Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 30 Years for Role in Counterfeit Xanax Ring

Arden McCann, 37, of Quebec, Canada, has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for running an international narcotics distribution ring over the dark web, where counterfeit Xanax pills were imported and sold to customers across the United States. McCann’s illegal activities resulted in millions of counterfeit pills being distributed, contributing to the ongoing overdose epidemic.
McCann was arrested by Laval Police in Canada in 2015 after authorities linked him to the sale of drugs on the dark web under the alias “DRXanax.” During a search, Canadian law enforcement seized around two million counterfeit Xanax pills, five pill presses, alprazolam powder, and $200,000 in cash, among other items. Despite his arrest, McCann continued his operation on various dark web marketplaces, selling narcotics, including fentanyl analogues, until his extradition to the U.S. in 2022.
From November 2015 to February 2020, McCann ran numerous vendor pages on over ten dark web marketplaces, distributing drugs to 49 states and generating over $10 million in revenue. His operations included the sale of counterfeit Xanax, which had been pressed from alprazolam sourced from China.
Following his conviction in September 2023 for drug importation and money laundering conspiracies, McCann was sentenced by U.S. District Judge J.P. Boulee. He was also ordered to pay a $1 million fine and will serve 10 years of supervised release after his prison term.
This case was investigated by several agencies, including the DEA, FBI, HSI, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with crucial assistance from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.