An announcement yesterday afternoon put to rest any speculation regarding improper transactions involving land sales of Regina's Global Transportation Hub (GTH). The RCMP announced that no criminal charges would be laid in the GTH land deals.

The outcome follows an extensive and wide-ranging investigation that strictly focused on land deals that took place between March 2012 and April 2014.

The RCMP stated that charges related to fraud, public mischief, and corruption would be among those most commonly laid in these matters.

"As the investigating police agency, our responsibility was to determine if any criminal wrong-doing took place, setting aside perception and publicity, and focusing on the evidence," said Superintendent Paul Saganski, a Federal Criminal Operations Officer with the RCMP.

"As such, the evidence does not support the laying of charges. As a result, the RCMP is no longer investigating this matter."

Beginning in February 2016, a team of investigators put in a combined 1000 working days and approximately 7,500 hours reviewing and examining what Saganski noted as 'thousands of document'.

"This was a highly complex and multi-layered investigation spanning two years of financial transactions and land dealings involving multiple parties. Over 40 people were interviewed in relation to the investigation, some of them re-interviewed," he said. "The investigative team consisted of up to ten members sometimes, and as required. All of them experienced in financial crime and fraud-related matters."

The case became peer-reviewed after the province sent the complete set of documents and findings to their neighbours to the east.

"Saskatchewan Public Prosecutions requested the investigation in its entirety be provided to Manitoba Prosecution Services for their review and opinion," said Saganski. "Based on their review, it was recommended that no criminal charges be laid in relation to this matter."