Five people have been arrested after Canadian authorities made a record seizure of a date rape drug smuggled in a shipment of coffee mugs at the Port of Vancouver.
Mounds of bags containing the drug ketamine – part of over 1,000 kilograms seized last month – were on display at a joint news conference by the RCMP federal drug squad and the Canada Border Service Agency at RCMP headquarters Wednesday morning.
In total, almost 1,004 kilograms, which makes up about 1 million doses, were seized – the largest seizure of the drug in Canadian history.
The seizure represents more than $15-million in profits of drug dealers, said officials.
The illicit drug was found aboard a 20-foot container vessel from Hong Kong that arrived at the Port of Vancouver on Dec. 7, 2010.
The shipment was identified as 402 cartons of coffee mugs.
When border officials boarded and examined the vessel, they found 318 cartons of coffee mugs, along with 84 boxes that contained coffee mugs and vacuum-sealed bags of ketamine, known on the street as “Special K” or “K.”
Veterinarians use commercial ketamine as an anesthetic, but its tranquillizer effects also enables it to be used as a date-rape drug.
Following the seizure, the RCMP launched an investigation.
Four days later, five men were arrested in Richmond, including three Chinese nationals and two Vancouver residents.
The RCMP clandestine laboratory team searched two locations in Richmond and found a pill press, binding agents, and other materials used in synthetic drug labs, said police.
Three Chinese nationals – Tak Ming Chan, 53, Yiu Ming Kwok, 58, and Wing Kee Ng, 58 – face charges of importing a controlled substance and possession for the purpose of trafficking.
Also arrested were Hoi Sing Lai, 54 and Hin Cheung Lau, 42, both from Vancouver.
They are both charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking.
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