A police raid on a Langley house was part of a larger investigation into a drug manufacturing and trafficking operation that has resulted in criminal charges against a Surrey man.
The Federal Clandestine Laboratory Enforcement and Response (CLEAR) team was called to the house in the 19800 block of 82 on Friday, October 28.
On Tuesday, the RCMP issued a statement linking the Langley search with two other raids in Surrey and Delta on the same day.
The force said the searches were “related to previous enforcement action taken in relation to a clandestine lab operating in Agassiz” in July.
The Langley house was running a clandestine drug lab believed to be producing methylenedioxeamphetamine (MDA) or methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA).
Occupants of the house were arrested and a “substantial amount of finished product was seized” for testing by Health Canada Drug Analysis Section.
Several other controlled substances were seized during the search as well.
After police left, the house was declared unsafe and a Township of Langley notice with a “do not occupy” warning was attached to the front door of the two-storey house.
The Delta search of storage locker located in the 10,000 block of Nordel Court found about 605 liters of helional, which investigators believe was destined for use in the production of MDA and MDMA.
The Surrey search of the 3300 block of 151 Street resulted in the seizure of over two kilos of product, believed to be MDA and MDMA.
All three warrants were executed within minutes of each other.
A 40-year-old Surrey resident, Andrew Slemko, has been charged with illegal drug manufacturing, drug trafficking and breach of probation.
The three other individuals arrested were released without charge pending further investigation.
“This investigation into a known producer of synthetic drugs and distributor of precursor chemicals spanned 10 months and covered numerous jurisdictions in the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley”, said Staff Sgt. Darin Sheppard, head of Synthetic Drug Operations for the RCMP’s Federal Serious and Organized Crime Team in British Columbia.
Neighbours of the Langley house said the occupants were quiet and kept to themselves.
The house had changed owners a number of times recently.
It had been decorated for Halloween, with jack-o-lanterns, cobwebs and other items.
