British Columbia [Canada], November 5 : A massive fentanyl and methamphetamine drug superlab in Canada's British Columbia was dismantled and precursors worth USD 95 million were seized by the Canadian police, the officials said.
The operation was carried out by the Pacific Region RCMP Federal Policing program, which called it the "largest and most sophisticated" in Canada.
"The Pacific Region RCMP Federal Policing program has delivered a decisive blow to a major transnational organized crime group by dismantling the largest and most sophisticated fentanyl and methamphetamine drug superlab in Canada. The combined fentanyl and precursors seized at this facility could have amounted to over 95,500,000 potentially lethal doses of fentanyl, which have been prevented from entering our communities, or exported abroad," the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said in a statement.
The RCMP Federal Policing units in British Columbia launched an investigation into a transnational organized crime group believed to be involved in the mass-production, and distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine across Canada, and internationally.
On October 25, a series of coordinated enforcement actions were conducted across Metro Vancouver by the RCMP Federal investigators. The officials also executed search warrants on a massive drug superlab in Falkland, BC, and associated locations in the city of Surrey, BC.
Describing the drug superlab as the "largest, and most sophisticated of its kind with the capability of producing multiple types of illicit drugs," the federal investigators seized 54 kg of fentanyl, massive amounts of precursor chemicals, 390 kg of methamphetamine, 35 kg of cocaine, 15 kg of MDMA, and 6 kg of cannabis.
In addition to the massive quantities of drugs and precursor chemicals, a total of 89 firearms, including 45 handguns, 21 Ar-15-style rifles, and submachine guns were also seized; many of which were loaded and ready for use. To date, nine of these guns have been identified as stolen, the police stated.
The searches also yielded small explosive devices, large amounts of ammunition, firearm silencers, high-capacity magazines, body armour, and USD 500,000 in cash.
During the investigation, members of the RCMP Drugs and Organized Crime team came to know of several large shipments of methamphetamine prepared to be shipped outside Canada. Following this, the federal investigators, with assistance from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), executed another series of search warrants and seized 310 kilograms of methamphetamine prior to it departing Canada.
The main suspect has been identified as Gaganpreet Randhawa. He was arrested by Federal Policing Group-6 investigators, and has been charged with numerous drug, and firearms-related offences, the police stated.
The federal investigator also suspects a link of this operation with a recent enforcement action conducted by the RCMP CLEAR team where 30 tonnes of precursor chemicals were seized from a rural property in Enderby, BC.
The officials are working to find the source of the precursor chemicals associated with these enforcement actions.