A routine complaint about a suspicious vehicle led to the discovery and dismantling of an illicit drug lab in Vegreville, Alberta, according to the RCMP.
On April 17, Vegreville RCMP responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle in Minburn County. Officers discovered the vehicle had been reported stolen and arrested a man inside.
A search of the vehicle turned up 700 ml of GHB, a powerful central nervous system depressant often called the date rape drug.
Further investigation led officers to a residence in Vegreville believed to be producing GHB.
Two days later, on April 19, RCMP executed a search warrant at the property. The operation was conducted with the support of the RCMP Federal Policing Northwest Region’s Clandestine Laboratory Enforcement and Response (CLEAR) team, with fire and EMS crews on standby.
Inside the residence, officers seized 38 liters of suspected 1,4-Butanediol (BD), a chemical precursor to GHB, along with 12 liters of GHB. The lab was dismantled during the search.
Arrest warrants have been issued for two individuals connected to the residence; both remain outstanding.
The initial suspect, Jeremy Donald Blackwell, 42, of Edmonton, faces multiple charges, including two counts of possession of property obtained by crime over $5000, possession of GHB, and obstructing a police officer.
He remains in custody and is scheduled to appear in Alberta Court of Justice in Vegreville on May 12.
“I would like to thank the public for their vigilance and the trust they showed us by calling in suspicious activity,” said Staff Sgt. Collin Folk, Detachment Commander of the Vegreville RCMP.
“Thanks to the public, and the great work done by Vegreville RCMP members, local partners and the RCMP Federal Policing Northwest Region’s CLEAR team, we were able to dismantle a lab that was producing drugs that could have had a very negative impact on our community and those around us.”
