An “extensive” two-month operation by Campbell River RCMP has so far resulted in drug charges against 10 people, including a man from Surrey.
Operation E-Parody was conducted by the Campbell River Street Crimes Unit in November and December 2019, according to a Jan. 9 RCMP news release.
The Vancouver Island operation investigated drug trafficking in the Campbell River area.
Drugs seized included fentanyl, carfentanil, heroin, morphine, cocaine and methamphetamine.
So far, 10 people have been charged with trafficking in a controlled substance and/or possession for the purpose of trafficking and charges have been recommended against an additional 10 people, the release stated.
Surrey’s Jasondeep Johal is charged with trafficking cocaine and possession for the purpose of trafficking cocaine and fentanyl.
Also charged are Joseph Tweet, Joseph Russell, Tanya Newell, Preston Jaramillo, Mickey Balla, Sandra Robinson/Burridge, Rae-Anne Gillespie, Lauren Drake and Barbara Norris, all of Campbell River.
“Through the collaborative effort of a number of units within the RCMP detachment, E-Parody was a huge success,” Insp. Jeff Preston stated in the release.
“E-Parody is our latest in a continued effort to significantly alter drug trafficking operations that are operating in Campbell River and our local Indigenous communities.”
Through testing, RCMP found that the dosages of fentanyl seized during the operation contained levels of the drug that were “well beyond lethal,” the release noted.
Const. Maury Tyre said that the investigation showed that drugs are not being contaminated with fentanyl in town. Rather, “people are knowingly requesting and distributing fentanyl.
“What is very concerning is the appearance of carfentanil in tested drug samples,” he added.
“Carfentanil is approximately 100 times more potent than fentanyl and is used for animals the size of elephants,” the RCMP release said.
“It is not safe for any kind of human consumption.”
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