Five men have been charged after RCMP busted what they’re describing as a drug “superlab” in Metro Vancouver.
Police seized 49 kilograms of MDMA (ecstasy) along with the chemicals to make another 80 kilograms, two cars and cash.
The RCMP’s Pacific Region Federal Policing Program launched the probe in the spring of 2022, leading to the raid of four properties in Maple Ridge and Coquitlam in August 2022.
The raids uncovered a large and sophisticated drug lab capable of producing multiple kilograms of MDMA per cycle, according to RCMP.
“Labs such as this, when they produce multiple kilos at this level, are there specifically for one reason and they’re producing at a commercial level for sale on our streets and to make money for these organized crime groups,” said Sgt. Shawn MacNei with the RCMP federal serious and organized crime section.
“This is not an addict who is trying to make enough drugs to satisfy his own addiction, this is at a level of supplying thousands and thousands and thousands of users.”
Along with the drugs and chemicals, police said they seized $51,000 in cash, a Mercedes-Benz G-Class SUV and a Tesla 3.
Prosecutors have since charged Dennis Halstead, Shawn Cappis, Balbinder Johal, Richard Waugh and Christopher Alves with multiple drug offences.
They were due to appear in court on Wednesday.