B.C.’s gang enforcement squad seized more than 9 kilograms of fentanyl from the hands of criminals involved in Lower Mainland gangs, Sgt. Brenda Winpenny said Friday.
The bust was the end of a 10-month drug trafficking investigation which saw five arrests made and the removal of “potentially deadly drugs” off B.C. streets.
This included 9.24-kilograms of fentanyl, 4.7-kilograms of methamphetamine and a kilogram of cocaine. Along with illicit drugs, members of the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit recovered seven firearms, five vehicles and $130,000 in Canadian cash.
The amount of fentanyl seized “equates to at the very least, taking approximately 443,520 potential lethal doses of fentanyl off the streets of our communities,” Winpenny said.
READ MORE: Police issue warning for 8 more B.C. men involved in gang conflict
The seizure of a rifle and five handguns mean the weapons no longer pose a threat to public safety during a time when gang-related shootings are on the rise in Metro Vancouver.
CFSEU conducted simultaneous enforcement action at multiple locations, with a total of eight search warrants carried out on residences in Vancouver.
Suspects arrested have since been released from custody, pending investigations into Criminal Code and drug offences police are gearing up to recommend to Crown counsel.
Supt. Duncan Pound said a wide variety of investigative strategies are being used “to gather evidence and take drugs, firearms and dirty cash out of the hands of criminals.”
RELATED: Expert says lull in Lower Mainland killing, shootings mean B.C. gangs just reloading
@sarahgrowch
sarah.grochowski@bpdigital.caLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
Want to support local journalism? Make a donation here.
