Montreal police say they have seized almost $1 million worth of drugs during an investigation into an alleged drug trafficking network.
Two men, 49 and 23, as well as a 45-year-old woman, were arrested Tuesday in a police sweep carried out in Laval, Montreal and Brossard.
In a press release Wednesday, police said they found 21 kilos of cocaine, worth around $525,000, on the black market.
Police say the other drugs seized included 45,00o opioid pills, 36,00o benzodiazepine and amphetamine tablets as well as smaller quantities of of methamphetamine and steroids.
Police said lab analyses of the opioid tablets detected the presence of metonitazene.
Police described metonitazene as a “dangerous substance, 20 times more powerful than fentanyl” warned of the risk of fatal overdoses among its users.
The drugs were found after a series of searches carried out at the homes and in the vehicles of the three individuals, police say, as well as a warehouse.
In addition to the drugs, police say they confiscated close to $175,000 in cash.
“These large-scale seizures are a serious blow to a structured network supplying the Montreal market,” the press release reads in French.
All three individuals appeared at the Montreal courthouse on Tuesday and are facing “numerous” charges related to drug trafficking.
They will remain detained until their next court appearance.