CALGARY – Police have laid dozens of charges against three men after seizing nearly $1 million of illegal drugs and a fully automatic AK-47 assault rifle during a recent drug bust.
The suspects were arrested on Wednesday, after a six month-long investigation by the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT).
Police executed four search warrants, uncovering a large stash of drugs, weapons and cash — as well as a full scale cocaine lab.
The total value of the drugs seized is estimated at $969,940, which included:
- 4.6 kilograms of cocaine with an estimated street value of $460,000;
- 6.5 kilograms of marijuana with an estimated street value of $64,940;
- 1.6 kilograms of methamphetamine with an estimated street value of $162,000;
- 387 grams of MDMA with an estimated street value of $38,000;
- 187 oxycodone pills with an estimated street value of $15,000;
In addition, police seized 115 kilograms of Phenacetin with an estimated street value of $230,000.
Phenacetin, also known as “superbuff,” is a cutting agent used to dilute the purity of cocaine in order to maximize profits.
It’s a dangerous painkiller withdrawn from the Canadian market in 1973 after it was associated with cancer and kidney damage.
The Phenacetin seizure is the largest in the history of ALERT, and police say it highlights the danger of using any street drugs, because it’s unknown what other chemical substances may be added to them.
Other items seized by police include a loaded handgun, spring-loaded pen gun and a 2007 GMC Acadia with a hidden compartment.
Huy Nguyen, 26, Duy Dao, 24, and Jonathon Chieh, 23, are facing a combined 64 drug and weapons related charges.
All three had recently moved to Calgary from Vancouver’s lower mainland, and police allege the move was motivated by an attempt to gain a foothold in Calgary’s drug market.
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