A Dartmouth, N.S., man has been charged with drug trafficking after RCMP in Halifax seized 40 kg of cocaine and about 10,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills.
Police estimate the street value of the cocaine and pills is around $4 million.
In a news conference Tuesday, police displayed the seized drugs and said they were first alerted about the transportation of cocaine into Halifax back in September.
“The pills that you see here are marked to appear as prescription oxycodone pills. And we believe, however, that those pills were manufactured for the illicit market,” said Supt. Don Moser, senior operations officer with Halifax RCMP.
“We believe they may contain fentanyl and we’re working to confirm that.”
RCMP said after they identified the suspected drug transporter, they began monitoring his movements.
On Sept. 29, officers stopped a minivan on Highway 104 in Colchester County.
When police searched the vehicle, they found the drugs in a hidden compartment.
“I would say it’s unusual for us to detect and locate those types of hidden compartments. These types of prefabricated, custom built, are very purposeful in their intent and what they’re meant to conceal,” said Moser.
He said investigators believe the drugs were destined for the streets of Halifax Regional Municipality.
The vehicle’s driver, Exile Antonino Sandulu, 38, has been charged with two counts of drug trafficking. Police said he does not have any previous convictions related to drug trafficking.
“We arrested him alone in that vehicle but we do know it’s a complex, probably well-organized machinery,” Moser added.
“That’s the backdrop to this and his role in that will be something that will be (…) part of that investigation.”
Sandulu was released by the court and is schedule to appear in Dartmouth Provincial Court on Dec. 12.