Residents of a normally quiet Coquitlam neighbourhood are shocked to learn they were living next to a massive illegal drug operation.
Earlier this summer, a home on their street was raided by police, who uncovered a highly sophisticated marijuana grow-op.
And then this week, Canadian authorities managed to catch up with the American couple living in the home — alleged to be the masterminds behind the operation that covered much of the United States.
Featured on the TV show ‘Washington’s Most Wanted,’ 38-year-old Matthew Nicka and 33-year-old Gretchen Peterson are wanted in the US for conspiracy to distribute and manufacture a thousand kilograms of marijuana.
“They are believed to have extensive links to criminal operations, and appear to have access to significant funds as they were caught with $9,000 cash,” says David Lothian of the Canadian Border Services Agency.
This week, Canada Border Services agents caught they pair while they were waiting to catch a ferry at the Tsawwassen Terminal.
They had been on the run for two and half years.
Authorities say they have no idea how they crossed the border.
“I really can’t speculate how they entered Canada, but they are highly capable of going underground and assuming alternate identities,” says Lothian.
“At the time of their arrest, they were in possession of multiple forms of fraudulent identification.”
In fact, in June, RCMP raided Nicka and Peterson’s rental home and discovered marijuana and chemicals used to create meth, but the couple had already fled.
Neighbours say they didn’t know what the fugitives were up to.
The pair is now in custody and will appear before the Immigration and Refugee Board later this week.
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