Manitoba RCMP say they’ve brought down an interprovincial drug trafficking network after a three-month investigation.
Called Project Deepwater, the RCMP probe led to more than $1.5 million in drugs and cash seized, which included animal tranquillizers mixed with heroin.
Supt. Jeff Asmundson, the Manitoba Integrated Law Enforcement Team (MILET) officer in charge, outlined to reporters what his team’s investigation had found.
“MILET officers determined the suspect was distributing large amounts of cocaine and other illicit substances to support drug activities through the province,” Asmundson said.
Asmundson said RCMP and Winnipeg police officers executed search warrants at two residences in the city’s Amber Gates neighbourhood on Feb. 5.
The seizures included nine kilograms of cocaine, about four kilograms or nine pounds of illicit marijuana, a small amount of crack cocaine, $87,000 in cash and various drug trafficking paraphernalia.
He said they also seized approximately 7,000 counterfeit pills disguised as over-the-counter pain medication. A lab analysis determined the pills were actually a mix of heroin and veterinary sedatives.
“This mix creates a potent and dangerous drug combination that increases risk to users,” Asmundson said.
A 35-year-old Winnipeg man is facing two counts of drug possession for the purpose of trafficking and possession of proceeds of crime over $5,000.
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The investigation is ongoing, but Asmundson added the drugs are being marketed to the public to gain new users and take advantage of those with existing addictions.
However, he said the drugs were distributed and brought in from across the country, while cocaine is originally sourced from Colombia.
Manitoba Justice Minister Matt Wiebe applauded the work of the various police forces involved, saying it’s part of the province’s commitment to getting toxic drugs out of communities.
“This shows that there is nothing more important than the safety of our communities,” Wiebe said. “Manitobans have had enough of these toxic drugs getting into our communities.”
While each drug poses risk, Asmundson told reporters they are concerned about the counterfeit pills of heroin mixed with medetomidine, adding it’s the first time they’ve seen this combination in the province.
“Our concern is that people on the street are going to be using these drugs that are being described that are being disguised as legitimate drugs, prescription drugs and our concern is somebody is going to overdose and die,” he said.
The seizure of heroin mixed with medetomidine, a veterinary tranquillizer, comes as multiple provinces are issuing alerts over the presence of the potent sedative being found in the unregulated drug supply.
The B.C. Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) issued an alert in January over the sedative, and Toronto’s Drug Check Services has said the number of illicit drugs that medetomidine is showing up in could be at about 80 per cent in Ontario’s biggest city.
In its recent alert, the BCCDC urged people to call 911 immediately if they witness a suspected overdose, stressing that drug poisonings are medical emergencies.
Though officials say the tranquillizers are making it a difficult situation, they advise that naloxone should still be used during an overdose even when non-opioid substances are involved.
The RCMP could not say at this time if any further arrests are possible as part of Project Deepwater.
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