Two men have been charged after a massive drug lab was shut down in a southwest Calgary apartment.
According to a release from Calgary police Tuesday, the apartment was a fentanyl re-processing lab, with over $88,000 in drugs and enough raw fentanyl powder to produce an additional 263,000 tablets.
Police initially searched the unit on Westpark Link S.W. Thursday, Nov. 17 and discovered a significant amount of white powder. They immediately evacuated the area for the safety of the public and the officers involved.
READ MORE: Calgary police try to identify white powder after search and containment of West Springs house
Police told Global News the warrant to search the property came at the end of a three-month investigation that started with a tip from the public.
Officers are investigating whether the two men charged have ties to organized crime.
According to Staff Sgt. Mark Hatchette, “This is a mid- to high-level type of organization which does distribution as well as trafficking on the street.”
Hatchette said the potential street value of the yet-to-be produced fentanyl pills was massive.
“You could produce enough pills to have $5 million worth of fentanyl pills priced at $20 a pill.”
Police have said the following items were seized on Thursday:
- 11 grams of methamphetamine
- 6 grams of powder cocaine
- 65 grams of crack cocaine
- 263 grams of fentanyl powder
- 645 fentanyl pills
- 25 grams of psilocybin
- 1,167 grams of an unknown powder
Sukhjeet Singh Sidhu, 21, of Calgary is facing 19 drug-related charges and Amanpreet Bal, 26, also from Calgary, is facing seven drug-related charges.
The apartment will remain uninhabitable until the unit can be thoroughly cleaned of any traces of fentanyl, as the powder in its raw form can be deadly.
All other tenants have been allowed to return to the building.