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Potentially explosive butane lab found; man faces 17 drug offences

Calgary police recovered $20,000 worth of drugs and a number of weapons after executing a search warrant on May 20. Paul McEachern / Global News

CALGARY – A 29-year-old Calgary man has been charged with 17 drug-related offences after police seized about $20,000 worth of drugs and uncovered a butane lab in the city’s southeast.

Drug and tactical units executed a search warrant in the 9000 block of Athens Road S.E. on May 20 after a four-week investigation.

“Among drugs and weapons, investigators found evidence of a small production lab for the purpose of producing cannabis resin using the butane extraction method,” police said in a Thursday release. “This is an extremely unstable process that has the potential to explode very easily.”
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Police say the lab posed a “large risk” to public safety.

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Chad Hunter has been charged with three counts of trafficking cocaine, five counts of proceeds of crime, eight counts of possession for purpose of trafficking, and one count of production of cannabis resin.

Other items seized include:

  • 84.4 grams of cocaine, estimated value of $4,800
  • 41 fentanyl pills, estimated value of $1,640
  • 1,083 grams of marijuana, estimated value of $4,770
  • 68.5 grams of cannabis resin, estimated value of $1,370
  • 639 oxycodone pills, estimated value of $3,195
  • 7.3 grams of methamphetamine, estimated value of $730
  • 321 grams of psilocybin, estimated value of $3,210
  • 0.1 grams of clonazepam
  • $6,725 in Canadian currency
  • 195 ounces of pure silver coins and bars, estimated value of $3,370
  • Remington Wingmaster Model 870 12-gauge shotgun
  • Sako 7-mm rifle
  • Ruger .22-calibre rifle
  • Beneli Armi 12-gauge shotgun
  • Two Crossman handguns .38-calibre
  • .177-calibre Marksman Repeater BB handgun
  • Crossman Quest rifle
  • 12-gauge ammunition
  • 7-mm ammunition
  • .22-calibre ammunition
  • Cellphones
  • Scales and packaging material
  • Containers and items used for the production of cannabis resin

Hunter is set to appear in court on June 12.

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