Five men accused of operating a synthetic drug lab in order to produce and traffic the drug ecstasy at properties in Maple Ridge and Coquitlam will have their first court appearance today.
Charges were approved against Dennis Halstead, Shawn Cappis, Balbinder Johal, Richard Waugh, and Christopher Alves, after what police are calling a "complex multijurisdictional investigation" conducted by the Pacific Region Federal Policing Program鈥檚 Clandestine Laboratory Enforcement and Response (CLEAR) team.
The investigation, which began in the spring of 2022, led to the search of four properties which resulted in the locating and dismantling of a large sophisticated synthetic drug lab, and the seizure of 49 kilograms of MDMA, or ecstasy, police say.
On August 17, 2022, the CLEAR team, with the assistance of other RCMP units, executed four search warrants on the properties and arrested five people on scene.
Police say they located a "large sophisticated economic-based synthetic drug lab that was capable of producing multi-kilograms of MDMA per cycle."
In total, 49 kilograms of MDMA were seized, with additional precursor chemicals capable of potentially producing a further 80 kilograms of MDMA. Police also seized a Mercedes-Benz G-Class SUV, a Tesla 3, and more than $51,000 in cash.
Halstead, Cappis, Johal, Waugh, and Alves were charged with multiple offences under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA).
According to the RCMP, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) identifies a street-level dose of MDMA as containing between 50 to 150 milligrams of MDMA. Judging from the potential yield of the precursor chemicals in combination with the MDMA seized, police estimate this seizure prevented about 2.5 million doses of MDMA from entering the community.
"Access and availability to illicit synthetic drugs is a primary factor in many deaths. These drugs come from unsanctioned, uncontrolled, and profit-driven facilities. MDMA can pose major health risks to its users, possibly leading to overdose and death," explained the BC RCMP in a statement released on Wednesday, Aug. 14.
"MDMA is also often found mixed with other substances which can result in further risk of exposure to tainted drugs. This is why the RCMP Pacific Region Federal Policing Program is unequivocally committed to preventing illicit synthetic drugs, including MDMA from destroying more lives," the statement read.
The CLEAR team is a specialized unit that conducts project-based investigations focusing on the production of synthetic drugs, the diversion of chemical precursors and equipment from legitimate industries, and operators of clandestine drug labs. The team also responds to and assists all police agencies along with other provincial/federal government agencies throughout British Columbia and the Yukon Territory with clandestine drug production-related investigations.
Persons charged with a criminal offence are considered not guilty until the charges are proven in court.
If you know anyone you know may be struggling with addiction, you can seek assistance through the BC Alcohol and Drug Information and Referral Service Line at 1-800-663-1441.
And police want to remind the public that anyone with information about a crime who wishes to report it, can contact their local police agency, or report it anonymously by calling BC Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
