A cross country crime investigation by the BC RCMP’s Federal Policing unit led to the execution of 11 search warrants in five municipalities across the province, resulting in the seizure of millions of “potentially fatal” drug doses, as well as firearms and the precursor chemicals used to synthesize the illicit drugs..Four individuals were arrested..The investigation began nearly eight months ago when the BC RCMP Federal Serious and Organized Crime program (FSOC) began probing the activities of an organized crime group involved in the production and distribution of opioids..Police quickly learned several individuals involved in the group were tied to the ongoing gang conflict across the province and, two weeks ago, BC RCMP FSOC — along with numerous partner agencies — executed 11 search warrants throughout Metro Vancouver..The warrants resulted in significant seizures of various types of finished pills and pressed tablets, three firearms, cash, electronic devices, significant quantities of precursor chemicals, and other illicit substances, police said..A pill pressing operation capable of producing approximately 60,000 pills per hour was also located, and Mounties estimate more than one million tablets are being processed following the seizure..“The indisputable timeliness of this enforcement action comes in the midst of a continuing public health emergency, which is in large part precipitated by the toxic supply of fentanyl that fuels the ongoing opioids crisis,” said BC RCMP FSOC’s Superintendent Jillian Wellard..“The significant amount of illicit drugs seized, as well as the dismantling of this criminal network and their sophisticated pill-pressing operation has prevented millions of potentially lethal doses of toxic drugs from entering our communities.”.Now the leading cause of unnatural death in the province, the overdose crisis was declared a public health emergency in BC in 2016, and since then more than 11,000 British Columbians have died as a result of illicit drugs..Due to a new exemption under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, British Columbians can now carry up to 2.5 grams of opioids, meth, cocaine, and more..READ MORE: BC RCMP seize enough chemicals to produce 262 million fatal fentanyl doses
A cross country crime investigation by the BC RCMP’s Federal Policing unit led to the execution of 11 search warrants in five municipalities across the province, resulting in the seizure of millions of “potentially fatal” drug doses, as well as firearms and the precursor chemicals used to synthesize the illicit drugs..Four individuals were arrested..The investigation began nearly eight months ago when the BC RCMP Federal Serious and Organized Crime program (FSOC) began probing the activities of an organized crime group involved in the production and distribution of opioids..Police quickly learned several individuals involved in the group were tied to the ongoing gang conflict across the province and, two weeks ago, BC RCMP FSOC — along with numerous partner agencies — executed 11 search warrants throughout Metro Vancouver..The warrants resulted in significant seizures of various types of finished pills and pressed tablets, three firearms, cash, electronic devices, significant quantities of precursor chemicals, and other illicit substances, police said..A pill pressing operation capable of producing approximately 60,000 pills per hour was also located, and Mounties estimate more than one million tablets are being processed following the seizure..“The indisputable timeliness of this enforcement action comes in the midst of a continuing public health emergency, which is in large part precipitated by the toxic supply of fentanyl that fuels the ongoing opioids crisis,” said BC RCMP FSOC’s Superintendent Jillian Wellard..“The significant amount of illicit drugs seized, as well as the dismantling of this criminal network and their sophisticated pill-pressing operation has prevented millions of potentially lethal doses of toxic drugs from entering our communities.”.Now the leading cause of unnatural death in the province, the overdose crisis was declared a public health emergency in BC in 2016, and since then more than 11,000 British Columbians have died as a result of illicit drugs..Due to a new exemption under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, British Columbians can now carry up to 2.5 grams of opioids, meth, cocaine, and more..READ MORE: BC RCMP seize enough chemicals to produce 262 million fatal fentanyl doses
